Thoreau's Garden: Native Plants for the American Landscape

by Peter Loewer

Henry David Thoreau went alone to Walden Pond in 1845 and observed the ferns and turtleheads, the sundrops and spatterdocks, and the other beautiful native plants that formed a natural garden around his cabin. He walked the woods and fields and penned his observations in his journals. Noted plantsman Peter Loewer combines excerpts from Thoreau's journals with his own botanical illustrations and comments.

248 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1996

About the author

H. Peter Loewer is a writer, graphic artist, photographer, and botanical illustrator who deals with books on natural history, gardening, great gardeners, and science for children.

He graduated from the Albright Art School of the University of Buffalo with a degree in graphics and a minor in art history. Upon graduation he was awarded the Max Beckmann Fellowship to the Brooklyn Museum Art.

In 1973 he wrote the first book on ornamental grasses, Growing and Decorating with Ornamental Grasses, then in 1994 he published the first book on nocturnal flowers for bloom and fragrance, called The Evening Garden. His book, The Wild Gardener, was named one of the best 75 garden books of the 20th Century by the American Horticultural Society. Dealing with a few of the nation's horticultural greats, he also wrote and illustrated Thoreau's Garden and Jefferson's Garden. He has a monthly call-in garden show on public radio in Asheville, and is on-air with morning host Ken Adams the first and third Thursday of the month, talking about unusual plants and horticulture lore. He is also the contributing editor for Carolina Gardener magazine and a popular speaker.

Today, Mr. Loewer teaches art at the North Carolina Arboretum, Montreat Elderhostel, AB-Tech, and every three years at Penland School in Spruce Pine. He also practices printmaking, and works on pen and colored-pencil renderings of native plants and their pollinating insects.

Reviews

[Brandon · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easy read that culls the contents of Thoreau's personal gardens from his writings.

[CFAITC]

This book weaves excerpts from Thoreau's journals with notes and ideas about specific native plants.

[Matthew Alfs]

Aside from one, minor factual error, this was an enjoyable read. The author's style is lively and engaging. One can never get enough of Thoreau--one of my many personal heroes.