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Quote of the Day: Monty Don

June 3rd, 2018

“But the gardener must try not to be blindly selective about what constitutes acceptable ‘wildlife’. Slugs, moles, rabbits, urban foxes and mosquitoes are all wildlife, too. Many creatures that seems harmful to your immediate garden might be an integral part of the food chain, enable to the more obviously beautiful birds or mammals to exist.”

Monty Don in Down to Earth



Inspiration

May 16th, 2018

Typically, I spend all winter reading about gardening and looking through my collection of various gardening books. This past winter, I was busy with a lot of things and spent most of my time reading novels. As the weather warmed, I found myself missing my garden reading.

I’m a huge Monty Don fan, which means that I purchased his new book ‘Down to Earth‘ and have been reading through it. It’s fantastic, as are all his books (‘Gardening at Longmeadow‘ and ‘The Ivington Diaries‘ are my two favorite gardening books). On my stack this week, I also have ‘Earth on Her Hands‘, an older, out of print book that highlights the gardens of many different women. It’s one of my favorites it look through each winter, as the gardens aren’t show gardens, but real gardens made by real women. ‘Gardens of Spirit and Place‘ is another favorite, though the gardens featured in this book are more designed and much more elaborate.

The New Homesteader‘ which features the beauty of Walnuts Farm in England is a feast for the eyes, especially if you love traditional English potagers. There are many more books that I’ve looked through and put back on the shelf. I’ll share some of those in the comings weeks. I find books about gardens are one of my favorite ways to find inspiration for my garden.

Do you have a favorite gardening book that you refer to frequently for inspiration?

Quote of the Day: Monty Don

May 6th, 2018

“I would not want any garden of mine to be like anyone else’s any more than I would not want my bedroom to be like a hotel room. I increasingly long for the personal and the idiosyncratic. I want as much as possible to be handmade, one-off and distinctive. I like gardens that have their own accent and their own rules, and are ruck in dreams and memories that everyone can share but no one can replicate.”

-Monty Don in Down to Earth

As I finally am approaching the point where I can start making this garden my own, adding plants, hedges, sheds, greenhouses, and other things, I find myself constantly thinking about what would look good, what would work for my gardening styles, what works with the climate.

I have grand plans of soft fruit gardens, a hazel copse, a woodland garden, a spring garden and a parterre potager. Big plans, but I often thinks it’s better to dream big and size them down that to not dream big enough.

What are you big plans for your future garden?

Friday Favorite: New Recipes

April 20th, 2018

I’m a lover of food and a lover of cooking. There’s not much I enjoy more than a new cookbook and making recipes from it. This past winter, I got Nigel Slater’s A Kitchen Diary and read through it. Every recipe sounded delicious as I was reading through (his books are not just cookbooks with recipes, but more books about food & cooking with recipes sprinkled in).


Last week, I made pumpkin dal from it and we thoroughly enjoyed it. Since I still have pumpkins coming out my ears from last summer’s harvest, I’m always looking for good recipes that can use up some pumpkin. The 24 carat brownie recipe from this book is also fantastic. The recipes are pretty simple, which is something I really appreciate. They highlight good quality ingredients with minimal fussiness in cooking or preparation. I’m looking forward to more and more recipes from this book.

Are you a fan of cooking or just more a fan of eating?

Quote of the Day: Patsy Washington

March 21st, 2018

“I think you’re avoiding me, Mrs. Randloph,” William said, bareheaded, shielding his eyes against the sun.

“I think I’m harvesting the garden, Mr Short,” I said from beneath the shadow of my straw hat, fretting that he should come up on me in my housedress, my hands covered in dirt. A Virginia gentleman would’ve pretended not to see the lady of the house hard at work–even if the garden was her sweet escape from the demands of everyone inside the house; a Virginia gentleman would’ve passed by without a word and waiting to address me in polite company.

from America’s First Daughter: A Novel




I started this book last week and am absolutely loving it. It’s especially interesting to me since I’ve read a lot about Thomas Jefferson and have visited Monticello. The book is written from his oldest daughter’s perspective and give a fascinating view, not only about the revolution, but about life in general in those times from a women’s perspective.

Since I visited Monticello, as I read, I can see the different rooms, furniture, and the gardens as they are mentioned.

Have you read any good books lately?

About

This is a daily journal of my efforts to cultivate a more simple life, through local eating, gardening and so many other things. We used to live in a small suburban neighborhood Ohio but moved to 153 acres in Liberty, Maine in 2012.

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