If you're the type who's mainly interested in getting down and dirty, then the garden books I discuss here won't interest you. In The Gardener's Bedside Reader, e.g., Chapter 1 asks: Assuming one could achieve perfection in a garden, would this even be desirable, or are we not better off having to continually strive for an unattainable perfection? Waxing philosophically like this (or any kind of waxing, really) isn't everybody's cup of tea.
Not all the stories in these 3 garden books are so philosophical, to be sure. But myself, I happen to be one of the odd balls who like this sort of thing. How about you?
1. "Gardens: A Literary Companion"
Literary theme #1: classic garden writing.
People have been writing about gardening for a long time. Gardens: A Literary Companion grants us access, in one small volume, to some of the greatest authors who have ever done so. This garden book spans the ages, taking us from the ancient Romans to noted feminist author Germaine Greer.
If ever there were an inexpensive, handy garden book for those with a historical and literary bent, this is it. Read reflections on gardening from Pliny the Elder, John Gerard, Francis Bacon, Gertrude Jekyll, etc. As a change of pace, take a look at Thomas Hardy through the eyes of his gardener.
2. "The Gardener's Bedside Reader"
Literary theme #2: modern garden writing.
Where Gardens: A Literary Companion leaves off, The Gardener's Bedside Reader picks up -- with a bit of overlap in the persons of Jamaica Kincaid and Vita Sackville-West. The Gardener's Bedside Reader spotlights some of the best known authors in modern garden writing. Because it is content to collect authors from a narrower time period, this garden book is at leisure to organize around sub-topics, giving it the feel of a cohesive "read" -- despite being an anthology.
Oh, and The Gardener's Bedside Reader might be worth its cost for its splendid images, alone! Photos, plant illustrations and vintage advertisements from old companies such as Gurney's grace its pages.
3. "Garden Voices"
Literary theme #3: lives of everyday gardeners.
Garden Voices is another collection of gardening-oriented stories but, unlike the two garden books above, is not an anthology. Rather, the author, Carolyn Rapp, made friends with 12 women who garden, and she penned stories about how gardening has impacted their lives. Gardening is not just a hobby for them but one of the underpinnings of their lives. Simply put, gardening makes them stronger.
Of course, anyone who reads garden books is already aware of the power gardening has to infuse our lives with vitality. In that sense, one could say that Garden Voices is preaching to the choir. But some members of the choir enjoy the occasional sermon, as a respite from all that singing....
