Winter is waning -- at least that's the story that I'm spreading. I'm so very tired of the cold and so looking forward to spring. And every year at this time I start browsing seed catalogs, flower catalogs, gardening books, and checking out websites that pertain to gardening. Now, that said, I am the world's worst gardener. I just have hopes and dreams - from March through the end of June. At the end of June a switch is flipped off in my head - gardening is over, I'm not going out there anymore. Hello weeds, aren't you pretty!
I have wonderful intentions....honest. I really mean to stay with it each year, but somehow I seem to find excuses when the weather turns really hot. So, over the years I've learned to plant perennials - those that are hardy and drought resistant. I'm the "oh, darn, I meant to go out there and water the flower beds..." person.
I still look forward to it though and still browse those catalogs and pick up those books. Now, my reasoning is that when I retire...I'll do a better job. Hmmm... we'll see.
Here's a few books that I found interesting.
The Spare-Time Gardener by Barbara Hill Freeman
A gardening book is made especially for those who are looking to squeeze gardening into their already hectic schedules. Freeman brings a realistic view to gardening, allowing you to actually achieve and enjoy the time you spend. The Spare Time Gardener covers design, planning, enhancing and maintaining all for the gardener on the go.
Heirloom Flore Gardens by Jo Ann Gardner
Favorite old varieties of plants are a lot like old friends: easy-
going, dependable, and enduring. Even with all of the dazzling new flowers that appear every spring in catalogs and garden centers, most gardeners still treasure those time-honored plants that have proven their worth over many years and earned an abiding place in our hearts.
Heirloom Flower Gardens celebrates more than 300 classic ornamental plants, and explores their uses in the landscape and the home. This charming and influential book is now back in print, and even better than before. It features more than 25 additional plant portraits, as well as expanded information on growing, landscaping, and preserving flowers and herbs for culinary and craft use. Other new sections provide information on creating period plantings and designing specialty or theme gardens.
Small Space Gardening by Peter Loewer
The
re'e no end to the advantages of gardening in containers, and gardening expert Peter Loewer's new book on the subject provides the perfect introduction.Containers, of course, are the norm in cities and suburbs, where space is at a premium, but even gardeners with plenty of room will appreciate the benefits of container planting. Potted plants dress up front walks, hang brightly from the limbs of trees, and energize a deck with color and life. they are a great laboratory for "experiments," and also allow a gardener to grow plants that wouldn't otherwise winter over in northerly climate zones. Older gardeners also love container gardening for its relative simplicity and ease of maintenance.
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