This is the second Mrs Greenthumbs book I've read. Both of them were gifted to me by my friend Bond before she moved to LA. I've gotta start out by saying that I really liked this book. The last Mrs. Greenthumbs book I read, I wasn't too fond of - mostly because I didn't like how it was organized - a garden guide by month for a northeast garden (not necessarily applicable to central Texas). Oh sure, it was funny, and I did like the humor (that's the reason why I bothered reading this book).
I thought this book translates well to all parts of the country - mostly because she continues to state that you should use plants that do well in your area, and that what grows well in her garden isn't going to grow well in Santa Fe. The book is split up into 5 sections/recommendations - Create the garden as a separate place away from the world, Plant perennials and plant them abundantly, Use plants that grow easily in your climate and location, Have something in bloom throughout the gardening season, Don't plant magenta next to taxicab yellow. Within each section, it is split into many more "how to/recommendation" sections.
There are many tidbits that I'll end up using, or at least keeping in mind - for example: For easy proportioning, use 2:1+1. That is, if your house is 20' tall, there should be plants about 11' tall, with the plants immediately next to those being about 6.5' tall. This also works in sizing beds - you have a 6' fence, which means that you have a 4' garden bed in front of it. I'll also probably start paying attention to the color wheel (admittedly, this is probably a one-two punch between the Master Gardeners' seminar on roses and the book as I went to the seminar and then read the part in the book about paying attention to color (see previous post about plopper vs. planner and I think you'll understand). Since I believe that if something happens multiple times, it's the universe trying to tell me something, I'll pay heed.
Anyway, this is a book that the original plan was to read it and then continue to pass it on to my coworkers, and yet I know I won't do that...which means that i really recommend this book.
3 comments:
I love Mrs. Greenthumbs and have read both of her books. Sadly, Cassandra Danz passed away several years ago. As crazy as this may sound, I always thought I'd like to meet her in the after-life (for those of us who believe there is one). She's one gardener writer I'd long wanted to meet in person, but now it's too late. Laura
I'm glad you liked it! I remember enjoying the humor in the books. Besides that, the only thing I can recall is the stories about removing bamboo (I think it was from one of those books?). Wherever it was from, it made me never, ever want to plant bamboo!
I've never read a Mrs. Greenthumbs book, but I enjoy gardening humor. Sounds like a good read.
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