In My Garden

by A. Cort Sinnes

Cort Sinnes knows more about gardening than just about anybody with a green thumb. The one thing he knows best of all, though, is just how magical a green space can be. In My Garden is Sinnes's simple but elegant tribute to gardening. Like the best writers of any genre, he distills his topic to its essence, in the process sharing the countless layers of it all.In My Garden, also illustrated by the author, tells the simple story of Sinnes and his two dogs-once individually known as Scout and Spot, but now both going by "Scott"-as they live and relish life in their garden. That such a slim volume can capture a philosophy of gardening, relationships, purpose, and life shows that Sinnes's talents reach far beyond growing and cultivating plants.á "I like weeds because they are so obvious and simple. They just sit there waiting to be pulled."á "The hoe is a useful tool. Any toxins-real or imagined-drain easily through the handle and into the soil, where they quietly disappear."á "The hammock is a perfect invention."Highlighted by simple, watercolor sketches, the wisdom in this book will appeal to gardeners, those looking for a gardening gift, and anyone with an eye for simple living relished to its fullest. Sinnes plants, tends, and waters this story until it blossoms in a golden splash of the setting sun. Delightful!

96 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2004

About the author

My family moved to Napa, California in 1952, when I was five months old. We moved to a house about five blocks from where I now live. Except for a few years in the Midwest, the Napa Valley has been home for my entire life. Growing up here in the 60's could only be described as idyllic – the freedom experienced by Matt (the protaganist in Silverado Summer) is based on my own experience, especially after I bought my first 10-speed bicycle! During the summer, my best friend and I could get on our bikes, leave our houses at dawn, and not return until sundown, without any of our parents batting an eye. We rarely had a specific destination in mind, eager instead to simply explore the valley from one end to the other – from the derelict stone ruins of Napa Soda Springs, to ghost wineries almost no one knew about, to the leafy shade of "broken dam" high in the western hills and, yes, to the summit of Mt. St. Helena – one by one, we uncovered many of the secret places this valley holds.

I attended local schools, went to the University of California at Berkeley, and went to work for the legendary editor of Sunset Magazine, Walter Doty, right out of college. Along with a handful of others, Walter and I started the immensley successful Ortho Book Series out of Walter's garage in Los Altos. He was 85 years old (not to mention legally blind and deaf) and I was 22. I went on to write some 36 books on gardening and outdoor living and six cookbooks, including The Grilling Encyclopedia, which was nominated for a James Beard Award. Along the way I have been editor-in-chief of three national magazines, authored and illustrated a nationally syndicated newspaper column, In Your Own Backyard, featured in more than 300 newspapers, and hosted a popular video gardening series called Hooked on Gardening.