A few tidbits and treasures suitable for a Thursday morning.
I’d like to thank Mary Ann of Gardens of the Wild, Wild West for recommending that I obtain a copy of Grandmother’s Garden: The Old-Fashioned American Garden 1865 – 1915 by May Brawley Hill (New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 1995). This book is a treasure of old photographs and paintings and insight into the gardens of days gone by.
It will no doubt lead me down a primrose path tempting me with books I must find, plants I must grow, and seeds I must sow. I can hardly wait. Good-bye, no time to blog now! (I’m kidding, I’ll find time to blog, maybe.)
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I also owe thanks to Frances of Fairegarden, Layanee of Ledge and Gardens, and Elizabeth of Garden Rant and Gardening While Intoxicated for sending me some lovely pictures of gardens in England for a presentation I’ve put together with the rather long title of “Timeless Tips and Treasures for Today’s Gardens from the 19th and 20th Centuries Including Wisdom, Lore, and Ageless Advice for Every Gardener.”
I made the title long on purpose because many of the old gardening books have titles that were as long as a sunflower is tall. They went on and on.
Whenever I think about the kindness of the many gardeners I have met through the correspondence of blogs, Facebook and other social media, I’m reminded, of course, of Elizabeth Lawrence, the famous Southern garden writer who corresponded with gardeners from all walks of life for decades.
She often mentioned these gardeners with whom she exchanged letters and observations in her books and newspaper columns. I have included some tidbits from some of her books in my presentation because without her books, I don’t think I would have found even half the old gardening books I now own. And without her inspiring quote, “We can have flowers nearly every month of the year“, I don’t think I would have met even half of the gardeners I know today.
Old gardening books and the gardeners who wrote them have certainly enhanced my life and outlook as a gardener, and I hope to pass my enthusiasm about them on to other gardeners. We’ll see. If they start to snooze during the presentation, I can always stop and tell them about the five secrets to achieving happiness in your garden. Or show them my hoe collection.
I'm sure everyone will love your presentation! I think I'm going to get a copy of Grandmother's Garden…
I agree with Christy, they will love your talk, and I also might need that book! I have bought a couple of other old gardening books, including one by Elizabeth Lawrence after reading about her on your blog, Carol. Keep up the good work!
Frances
Your hoe collection can bring up an entirely different type of conversation…garden collecting. You (and most gardeners) can talk endlessly about different collections in and of the garden.
I wish we could be there~I know it's going to be a great talk; your passion for gardening and your delightful sense of humor with shine. Elizabeth Lawrence often comes to mind when I'm in the garden~She was the most influential "garden mentor" I had from my earliest gardening days. xogail
I wish I were there in person for the talk. Is 'break a leg' appropriate? Perhaps not but keep it down and dirty.
I have a copy of Grandmother's Garden. Not a cheapie when it first came out and it's a pretty dry read. But interesting.
Dry read! It's nothing of the kind! Of course, M.B. Hill and I are both art historians, so we speak the same language. It's an entirely novel approach to the subject. I am loving it.
I got my copy cheaply on Ebay.