Guess what I’m doing this evening?
I’m participating in a virtual garden book party hosted by one of the nicest people I know, Rebecca Sweet.
The guest of honor at this party is her new book, Refresh your Garden Design with Color, Texture, & Form (F&W Media 2013).
I’ve been looking through her book for a few days now and feel like she is talking to me, specifically, and teaching me how to look at my garden differently.
Now, to be honest, I started to look at my garden differently a few years ago when I felt like every plant I bought just seemed to disappear into my garden, which lacked a cohesive design.
I hired a garden designer back then to help me with an overall design and my garden is much improved. Now that I have the beds and borders all laid out, I think this is the perfect book for me to learn how to tweak each of the areas, fill in some gaps, and make a few other adjustments. Not to mention, I can use the design tips in this book to figure out what to do with some areas that are sadly not yet planted.
I’ve already recommended this book to a co-worker and loaned her an extra copy that I ordered for myself. This co-worker mentioned she was going to work on her garden design this winter and had purchased a book to help her. When she told me what book she bought I told her, “No, no, no, no, no. Send that book back and I’ll loan you one that will be a lot better.”
You’ll be able to read my full review on Amazon in a few weeks.
In the meantime, let’s mingle at this party and talk about the giveaways.
I’ve got two garden tools to give away, including a Fiskars Telescoping Power-Lever® Bypass Lopper that could be used by any gardener to prune back that shrub or small tree that has grown all out whack and is making your garden feel unbalanced at the moment.
The other garden tool in this giveaway is a Fiskars Long-Handled Aluminum Hoe.
I’m a little envious that someone is going to win this hoe, other than me, because this is one hoe I don’t own but would like to own. It looks like the perfect hoe for smoothing out that new bed or border that you are putting in because you just read Refresh Your Garden Design with Color, Form & Texture and realize that is exactly what your garden needs.
To win these prizes, just leave a comment by 11:59 pm EST on Sunday, November 10, 2013. Be sure your comment leads me to a website or blog with your email address or put your email address in your comment disguised by typing it something like myemail AT gmail DOT com. I’ll pick a winner by random number and announce the winner on Monday, November 11. One winner will win both prizes.
This contest is open to residents of the continental United States, age 18 or over. If you want to enter more than once, post a link to this blog post on Twitter or your Facebook page and you can enter again with another comment.
And now, enough about me and you and winning these prizes. Let’s go mingle with the other party guests because they also have great prizes to give away.
There’s Dee at Red Dirt Ramblings, Pam at Digging, Robin at Urban Gardens, Shawna at Shawna Coronado, and Susan at Blue Plant Garden Blog. Each one has different prizes to give away as part of this virtual book party honoring the new book, Refresh Your Garden Design with Color, Form, & Texture. Go visit them and enter to win!
And now it’s time for me to again thank the hostess of this party, Rebecca Sweet, for this fun virtual event and for introducing me to her new book, Refresh Your Garden Design with Color, Form, & Texture. It is going to help me see my garden in new ways.
(Yes, Rebecca sent me a copy of her book, but I also bought a copy of her book because it’s good to support garden writers!)
Update 11/11/2013 – This contest is over. For a chance to win the book, please visit this blog post by 11:13 pm EST on 11/13/20131
I will have to get this book for my collection. Oh, and Fiskars are on my Christmas list.
Oh that sounds like a great book, but I cant enter since I live in Australia. After visiting a feiend over the weekend I had garden envy and came back with all sorts of ideas on how to improve my garden. gardeneners are a lot that are always looking for new ideas.
I could really use a new hoe. My current one is about 35 years old and has really seen better days! carolyemola at hotmail dot com
I think you were pretty smart to get some help with design. I need to do that. But in the meantime maybe the book will help and those pruners will help me get rid of some unwanted garden plants-like lantana! Thanks for letting me stop by at the party.
What a great giveaway. I've been tweaking my garden and could use Rebecca's book and the pruners to do some chopping.
gailtiles at gmail dot com
I look forward to reading Rebecca's book! I'd be mighty pleased to win those loppers. Fiskars tools are always worth having!
My mom would enjoy both of these.
slb3334 at gmail dot com.
I sure could use the loppers, and I don't even own a hoe. Fingers crossed that I can win this one. my gmail address is clearskykate …
Looking forward to reading Rebecca's book. If I win the tools, that's an added bonus!
I'm already enjoying Rebecca's book but I could always use some new garden tools!
Looks like a good book and a great hoe! I have garden blogs as a hobby/journal. ElenaWill.wordpress.com
I am not drunk! I just type on an iPad.
I blog at ElenaWil.wordpress.com
I would love a new pair of loppers (mine are quite rusty) and a book on garden desigh. I tend to buy plants I love and then worry about where they go later. Sound familiar Carol? You can reach me at kristi dot twichell at gmail dot com.
This looks like a very useful book and I could use some quality garden tools. Thanks for the chance to win!
abfantom AT yahoo DOT com
That hoe looks like an excellent tool.
http://Www.Ohtheplacesyoullgrow.com
How wonderful and what a great give away! I love Rebecca and can't wait to get my book! Super review!
sweetstuff1957@gmail.com
I desperately need those telescoping lopers for the confederate jasmine that's trying to scale my roof!
Those loppers sure would make life on my fingers easier… Thank you for all the inspiration!
My mother in law would love this
Those lopers would come in handy as would the book.
bowerbird53 at sbcglobal dot net
Very cool! Adding the book to my Christmas list – we just moved into a new house and the previous owners did NO gardening beside a few daylilies. I have 3/4 of an acre to plant! AHHHH!!
Jenn
jennsie AT gmail DOT com
I could always use a new hoe and some long-handled loppers, and both of these look like great products. But what I really need help with is some design advice. This book looks great, especially with such superb recommendations from all these respected gardeners. I don't usually win these prizes, so I'm going to be sure to put this on my wish list just to be safe!
Great giveaway-count me in!
I'd love to use these to beautify my yard. Thanks for the chance!
clc at neo dot rr dot com
The book looks wonderful and I am really lusting after that hoe!
Hmmm this looks like something to read as I reinvent the back yard bed. And that hoe is just like one I had and broke from over use, I just loved it. Thanks for offering it up, I know how hard it is for you to part with one 🙂
dezignlady AT gmail DOT com
I need to get that book! I have a new project to develop beds all around a house that has sun, where I'm used to mostly shade. And lots of the work requires different tools, so that would help as well. cindischeib at gmail dot com.
I love your blog so much, Carol! The garden fairies leave me in stitches every time they write. And I really need help with my garden design! My email is conwayc3777 AT gmail.com.
Thank you for this great post, and for all of the links!
Carol what a great way to honor a friend like Rebecca. I look forward to reading her book. And I was chuckling to myself when I saw one of the tools you were giving away was a hoe. I bet you would love that hoe. Thanks for being part of this giveaway and whoever gets those tools will be lucky! Hope it's me 🙂
The book sounds great1 hmalandrhatgmailcom
My goal for 2014 is to redo my garden, deleting what needs to go and reorganizing what is staying. When I heard about Rebecca's book I immediately preordered it…I've only had it a few days but it is just what I needed to help me figure out how to accomplish my goal. Those tools wold help as well!
Loppers! How fabulous. They work so well in those difficult spots and sometimes save our backs from having to drag out a ladder. A fantastic giveaway. Rebecca has been helping me refresh my garden and the results are miraculous. This is a good book.
Oh these are nice, what an asset these would be in the garden
I can see why you would like the Fiskars tools. I use Fiskar for sewing and they are the best. Thanks for the chance to win a generous give-away.
I only have one Fisker tool (the small multi-use snippers) but keep it with me at all times!! Being my first year at attempting ANY type of gardening, I can use all the help and ideas I can get. This has been SO theraputic for me and am looking forward to what possibilities might be in store for me.
csaulter70 AT gmail DOT com
What a great giveaway- I love Fiskars products and always want new ones! Rebecca Sweet's book is on my Christmas wish list, so I can get some design ideas before the spring. My email – annlees AT gmail DOT com
What a fun giveaway! you can contact me to award this lovely price (hee hee) at melcrawf at comcast dot net. Thanks!
Fabulous giveaway and so useful! Thanks for the opportunity! pgraham@gvtc.com
Pamie G.
Everybody can use new garden tools, I'd love to win. Thanks Carol!
I love those telescoping loppers. Fiskars tools are always great.
I have been looking forward to the publication of Rebecca's book.
My garden tools, for the most part, were discards of my dads from years ago. They are sentimental favorites but not the most efficient – and certainly not "Splinter-free"! New tools would be a definite gift!
Carol, the only thing that could refresh my garden is a not-so-lazy gardener! And you giving away a hoe? What is the world coming to? I think you should throw your name in the pot – you might win it!
Would love either of these great garden tools.
jan_waltonATsbcglobalDOTnet
I definitely have 'new, sharp garden tool envy!'
sksweeps (at) earthlink (dot) net
How perfect you got the hoe to give away.
BTW, tell the garden fairies they can reach me at vbdb at s b c global dot net.
More tools are just what a gardener needs. It's good to hear that help from a garden designer worked so well for you.
Sounds like a super book to guide how to use more color and Friskars tools are on my list for SANTA ; )
My hoe broke so would really like to win this one. 🙂
Theresa N
weceno(at)yahoo(dot)com
Thanks for your giveaway
Can't wait for spring! matlock dot karen at gmail dot com
Oooohhh tools…
Being Swedish, I should definitely own some Fiskars tools. And I love Rebecca's books, both this one and the vertical gardening book she wrote with Susan Morrison. mjausson at gmail dot com
As an amatuer gardener/botanist, I truly enjoy when people like Rebecca Sweet focus on the tiniest details of landscape design.
Rather than pick just what's 'in-season' or trending, her designs are essentially timeless..
You can look at the exact same designs 50 years down the road and still be impressed by them. Great eye! Can't wait to check out the book.
http://www.uponfurtherinspection.com is my personal gardening site, if any of your readers would be interested.. Take care!
My hand-me-down tools are special but let's face it…. new tools make the work much easier. Thanks for the offer and your great blog. Pilgw AT mac dot com.
teehee, garden fairies – now that's a cute pre-comment warning 😉 As for the book and it's party, what a wonderful way to advertise it, and I like getting the different personal reviews and take-aways from it. Definitely one that will need to make it onto my already crowded bookshelves! (catsmack80 AT gmail DOT com)
Great book and I love Fiskars tools.
Thank you for a great giveaway. This is the perfect time for these tools to clean up the yard to get ready for winter.
Would you believe I don't even own a hoe?
Ooh, wonderful giveaway! Rebecca's book looks wonderful, too!
sdjg(at)pacbell(dot)net
What a wonderful idea! I'm afraid if I won I'd have to paint them pink to keep them from Hubby!
Great tools i could use this for my garden and tree trimming.
ahedden12@gmail.com
I was just thinking how I needed to get a nice set of loppers…
Could really use a new lopper since my old one ends up squashing my thumbs if I'm not careful. And that hoe looks mighty handy, too. Fiskars makes good quality tools. Thanks for sponsoring this useful gardening give-away!
Ah, new pruners that would not be in the January sharpening pile.
Rebecca's book is on the wish list.
I use fiskars in the sewing room, would love to expand that to the garden!
freeindeed at myfairpoint dot net
What a great giveaway with friends! Thanks, Carol.
http://www.modernmia.com
I also posted on my Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/runmiarun?hc_location=stream
I would love to win this giveaway ~ there is so much yard clean-up I need to do over winter. 🙂
bebespeachesanddreams at gmail dot com
Thanks for the chance at some great giveaways! The book looks interesting as well, and hope to purchase it someday. Never can have too much reading material. ~Tom
These pruners are great. Love to own a pair.
I could really use some new garden tools!~
Looks like a really interesting book! Thanks for the chance at winning your giveaways! Love the broad-blade hoe! Good luck to all!
Tom
solakinnc at yahoo dot com
I wish I had used a designer. My plantings are pretty slapdash but I still love them. I have one Fiskars tool for outdoors and it's been great .
I didn't leave an email
4bluehouse(at)gmail(dot)com
Both the hoe and loppers would sure come in handy next spring! Thanks for the chance, and my email is in my profile.
I used my Fiskar's snips today. What a wonderful book and who couldn't use some great Fiskar's tools.
ky2here at msn dot com
https://twitter.com/ky2here1/status/399706907125874690
ky2here at msn dot com
Could use a nice new lopper to replace my old dulled one., Have to get that book too!
brich22 at earthlink dot net
Between the garden, pine trees, Holly Bushes, it seems like we're always doing some sort of yard work.
I would love to win this for our garden next year!
lil.blessing at hotmail dot com
I so want those loppers I have a bush in front of my house that needs an attack thanks for the chance to win eaglesforjack@gmail.com
I could really use these!
bmweida at yahoo dot com
Sounds like a great book!