Tuesday, August 6, 2019

The Planthunter: Truth, Beauty, Chaos and Plants —recommended summer reading, in the garden

I don't usually review or recommend books until I've finished reading them—but I can't wait any longer to tell you that you MUST read this book, in your garden, this summer.

I've been slowly working my way through the book since I received it in June. I certainly could have finished it by now, but I don't want to. I'm savoring it, reading a section now and then, rereading another. Jumping around a bit, loving every minute of it.

These pink pages are at the front of the book. In her interview on Jennifer Jewell's Cultivating Place, the author Georgina Reid, describes them as a sort of manifesto and says she didn't want people to think she was telling them how to be in the world, but rather her saying what she finds important.

They are inspiring bits of wisdom that I love reading over and over.

The book itself is divided into four sections: Ideas of Beauty, Order and Chaos, Home Truths and Life with Plants. Each of those sections is further broken down into six short stories of vastly different gardens and gardeners. Their titles include: Rental Decadence, Welcome to Cevanlandia,  Witches and Weeds, Confessions of a Plant Junkie, and on. Luscious photos by Daniel Shipp accompany each story. Like this spread from Bromeliads vs. Camellias in the Life with Plants section.

If you're familiar with the Planthunter website the format will feel familiar, but it's that x 100. So good. You owe it to yourself to get this book and enjoy it in your garden this summer.

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Timber Press sent me a review copy of this book, but I was under no obligation to write about it. All words and opinions are mine; did I mention I love this book?

Weather Diary, Aug 5: Hi 91, Low 65/ Precip 0

All material © 2009-2019 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

15 comments:

  1. I have such a huge garden library which I used to be able to justify in my newspaper column days that I am pretty picky about what I buy now. But this book sounds and looks good. What's not to love about someone who quotes Ian Hamilton Finlay?

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    1. I don't know if I'll ever be able to actually put this book on a shelf. I like having it on the ottoman or a side table so I pick it up whenever I feel like it.

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  2. Soooo happy for your review. I've been wanting to get the book. Now I *will* get it. In fact, I'll order it right now. Thank yoU!!

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  3. For a tiny fleeting moment I thought it was your book. I know, it's not ready yet.
    Some 20 years ago, early in my gardening journey, before I had internet and garden blogs in my life, I spent many hours at Barns & Noble thumbing through garden books, drinking it all in. It is high time I visited the book store again. That cross-over page is stunning!

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    1. Thanks to a book-loving husband we spend a few hours at Powells every couple of months. Since they buy used books too it's always fun to discover what's on the shelves.

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  4. The photo of the Bromeliads on the tree is indeed inspiring.

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  5. Wow, this looks spectacular.

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  6. Okay, you convinced me. I've been trying to avoid buying any more garden books until I get my book shelves back out of storage but I'm easily nudged.

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    1. A treat for yourself during the remodel!

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  7. Thanks for the share - sounds wonderful!

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  8. Oh this sounds so luscious. And pertinent, to EVERYTHING. What a great review. I just heard her on Cultivating Place too. A kind and loving voice.

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