Our Group Bookshelf

[Bloomin’Chick (Jo) aka The Eclectic Spoonie]

If there is a gardening themed book You Have Read -

*how-to, memoir, fiction novel with a gardening focus etc*

- please let me know here the title, author, and briefly why you enjoyed it or value it as a reference so that I can add it to our group bookshelf (which will include who recommended it and why) so we can have an easy bookshelf reference for members and those deciding if they want to be members. (If you don't indicate briefly why you enjoyed it or value it as a reference, I won't add it to the bookshelf).

Here are the titles already on our "read" shelf: http://www.goodreads.com/group/booksh...

We have the following categories to help distinguish books on the "read" shelf to make for easier referencing:
gardening-themed-fiction
gardening-memoirs
group-reads
gardening-howto

And a few further specific categories as well:
annuals-perennials
herbs-veggies
roses
seasonal
trees-bushes-shrubs-etc

No titles from your 'to-read' list. Also, if you did not enjoy a book or find it a helpful reference, please refrain from adding it here. (If you didn't enjoy it, why would anyone else?!) Thanks!

[Cheryl S.]

Nice idea, Jo.

[Petra X]

Backyard Giants: The Passionate, Heartbreaking, and Glorious Quest to Grow the Biggest Pumpkin Ever by Susan Warren

Garden memoirs? A five-star book about the hobby of growing gigantic vegetables. Very entertaining. You would think the growers were all crusty old men, but no, the year I read the book the champion pumpkin grower was a young woman, Christy Harp, who grew a 1,725lb pumpkin!

There is a pic of her and her pumpkin on my review http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

[Bloomin’Chick (Jo) aka The Eclectic Spoonie]

Thanks Cheryl!

Yes Petra, gardening memoirs, like Beds I Have Known by Martha Smith and the other one on our shelf, a past group read, by Dominique Browning (the title escapes me at the moment). Sure, they're non-fiction, but they're so personal, they're more like memoirs!

Backyard Giants was a great read! I'm glad you mentioned it here so I can add it to our shelf. (I forgot I'd read it!)

[Petra X]

Passiflora: Passionflowers of the World by Jesse Russell. A really lovely 5-star book of every kind of passionfruit in the entire world (I think!) and which are suitable for every climate. Plenty of horticultural advice.

Review here http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

[Cheryl S.]

By far my most useful gardening book is "Garden Primer" by Barbara Damrosch My copy is all dog eared, highlighted and full of sticky notes which attests to how much I have used it. There's info about everything from gardening gear, fruits, veg, roses, perennials, annuals, lawns, bulbs, to houseplants, trees and lawns. Quote from the back cover -- "Good gardening is very simple. You just have to learn to think like a plant" -- Barbara Damrosch. Always sounded like good advice to me.

[Cheryl S.]

The New Northern Gardener "The New Northern Gardener" because it has good basic info for my area of the country and some excellent pics.

Best Borders "Best Borders" because it has gorgeous pics, interesting ideas and good info.

The Harrowsmith Perennial Garden: Flowers For Three Seasons "Perennial Garden" by Patrick Lima. Another good book for northern gardeners. Has been a good reference over the years.

The American Garden Guides: Shrubs and Vines "Shrubs and Vines" Beautiful pics, growing habits and needs

Gardening with Grasses "Gardening With Grasses". This is a new area of interest for me and I've found this book to be very helpful.

Herbs: A Country Garden Cookbook "Herbs A Country Garden Cookbook". lots of uses for herbs

I also have a companion planting book which I can't find at the moment that has seen lots of use.

[Bloomin’Chick (Jo) aka The Eclectic Spoonie]

Thanks Petra & Cheryl! Once we hit the new year, I'm going to start adding books from this thread to our shelves.

[Florence (Lefty)]

Right Plant, Right Place I have lots of gardening books, this is the only one I wouldn't do without. Title says it all, Right Plant Right Place. If you plant it where it will be happy & thrive rather than where you think it will look best you'll have a successful easy to care for garden. It's a reference book, systematically organized according to growing conditions, purpose & appearance. Photos are unexceptional (thumbnails)

[Florence (Lefty)]

Hi Jo, and one more, for the perennial shelf:
The Well-Tended Perennial Garden: Planting & Pruning Techniques by Tracy DiSabato-Aust
If you like to fuss over your perennials, make them shine, you'll love this book. Everything on how to care for perennials is covered, nicely photographed as well. It's packed with useful information - read it for pruning techniques alone. I used to run around staking most of my perennials, now I know when & how to prune them for slightly later bloom but bushier, healthier plants. Teaches you the tricks that'll make your garden look like a team of pros just went through:)

[Bloomin’Chick (Jo) aka The Eclectic Spoonie]

Great, thanks Florence!

[Cheryl S.]

Florence wrote: "Hi Jo, and one more, for the perennial shelf:
The Well-Tended Perennial Garden: Planting & Pruning Techniques by Tracy DiSabato-Aust
If you like to fuss over your perennials, make them shine, you'l..."

This book sounds great!

[Florence (Lefty)]

Cheryl S. wrote: "Florence wrote: "Hi Jo, and one more, for the perennial shelf:
The Well-Tended Perennial Garden: Planting & Pruning Techniques by Tracy DiSabato-Aust
If you like to fuss over your perennials, make ..."

Hi Cheryl, it truly is - best/most useful book on perennial gardening I've ever read, and my favorite of all my gardening books! I'll bet they have it at your library - nice book to dream away the winter blues with:)

[Florence (Lefty)]

Jo wrote: "Great, thanks Florence!"

Your welcome:)

[Jaye]

This is a wonderful book of suggestions, tips and pictures - very inspiring:
Perennial All-Stars: The 150 Best Perennials for Great-Looking, Trouble-Free Gardens

Below is a book about gardening with miniature and dwarf shrubs, etc. "The Complete Guide to Growing Dwarf and Miniature Shrubs, Flowers, Trees and Vegetables". The pictures are inspiring and it's fun to figure out how to fit these small gems into the flower garden. You have to go to Amazon to see a cover picture, I don't know why there isn't one on goodreads.

Gardening with the New Small Plants: The Complete Guide to Growing Dwarf and Miniature Shrubs, Flowers, Trees, and Vegetables

This thread made me realize how I've neglected my gardening bookshelf here on goodreads.

[Jaye]

Garden Junk

This book is just fun to look at. I must say I have some odd things in my garden that have accumulated over the years.

One is a huge circulation spring type thing that came out of my old oil burner (it was in the water part, not the oil, so it's non-toxic). I use it for a stand for a pot.

Another thing I have is an old copper water heater that a friend cut a section out of for me and I use it as a planter. I think it's about 4 feet long.

My son was doing some recycling last summer and took apart an old wall type water heater that someone had in a summer cottage. Inside was a large copper vat type thing. I ended up having to buy the darn thing from him, but it makes a great planter. With the tubing winding around the outside it certainly looks, ummm, different.

[Petra X]

Any chance of you posting pics? I'd love to see all these planters.

[Bloomin’Chick (Jo) aka The Eclectic Spoonie]

Great book suggestions and I agree, we'd love to see some photos of your garden! You can post them to the group photos if you wish.

[Florence (Lefty)]

Jaye

Hi Jay, good one, I'd forgotten I'd read Perennial All-Stars: The 150 Best Perennials for Great-Looking, Trouble-Free Gardens until I saw your post. Read it when I was 1st getting into perennials and it taught me alot. Most of the Jeff Cox's books I've read are really good - my library has most of them.

[Jaye]

Seedfolks

A great book to read just before the blizzard is to cover us up. I needed some inspirational garden reading when everything is quiet and frozen outside.
This book starts with one little girl planting 4 bean seeds in memory of her father. The neighbors notice the garbage filled lot that she is planting the seeds in. It's an inner city lot. Each small chapter tells the story of a person and how they come to start their own little plot planting. A community garden is born, re-establishing community caring in the process.
Why we garden is the focus. Planting leads to sharing.
Very much recommended.

[Cheryl S.]

Jaye wrote: "Seedfolks

A great book to read just before the blizzard is to cover us up. I needed some inspirational garden reading when everything is quiet and frozen outside.
Thi..."

Sounds interesting--thanks for sharing.

[[deleted user]]

New out: Lawn Gone!: Low-Maintenance, Sustainable, Attractive Alternatives for Your Yard. It's about getting rid of the grass. It may be too elementary for this group, but I thought it was a good primer and enjoyed the photos.

[Jaye]

Osho wrote: "New out: Lawn Gone!: Low-Maintenance, Sustainable, Attractive Alternatives for Your Yard. It's about getting rid of the grass. It may be too elementary for this group, but I thought it was a good p..."

Osho, that one looks interesting, thanks for pointing it out. I'm going to order it from the library.
Another along the same line:

Noah's Garden: Restoring the Ecology of Our Own Backyards

[Jaye]

Jo wrote: "Great book suggestions and I agree, we'd love to see some photos of your garden! You can post them to the group photos if you wish."

Everything is covered with snow/ice right now !
Even before we got hit by that blizzard.
Maybe in better weather I'll remember about the pictures.
Thanks for the interest though.