Jeanne's Garden

After one of the wettest and coldest winters I can remember in many years, I cannot wait to get into the garden.  Just now, very early daffodils are starting to bloom so, as soon as the mud dries a little bit, I’m off to start planting. 

Spinach and peas can go in now. Hopefully, the cilantro and parsley will have reseeded and will be waiting for me when I finally get out. It will still be a while for beans and tomatoes, but I have enough to do now when the weather is still cool and changeable.

Even when I can’t actually dig in the dirt, I can still dream and plan with the beautiful gardening books.

These are just a few of my favorites.

Daffodils for American gardens by Brent and Becky Heath explains everything gardeners need to know about choosing and raising some of the earliest, hardiest and most deer-resistant plants available. (635.934 He)

Beginners’ guide to edible herbs by Charles W.G. Smith is a great introduction to 25
of the most useful herbs in the home garden. It not only explains how to plant them, but also how to use them. (635.7 Smi)

 

Gardening in the Mid-Atlantic by Andre and Mark Viette is the perfect companion to take the guesswork out of gardening. With this book, you’ll know what to do each month to have gardening success all year.  (635 Vie)

100 vegetables and where they came from by William Woys Weaver offers a veritable cornucopia of vegetables and stories from around the world--from Argentina to Zimbabwe, from Australia to the United States. (635 Wea)

Vegetable gardener’s bible by Edward C. Smith has friendly advice, vegetable-specific information, and unwavering commitment to organic methods. It covers more plants and offers smart new solutions for small-space and extended-season gardening. (635 Smi)

Got shade? by Carolyn Harstad discusses hundreds of shade-tolerant plants hardy in Zones 4-8, suggests how they may be used and combined, and recommends methods to cut garden maintenance. With its informative text, accurate drawings, and colorful photographs, this book is a "must have" for gardeners across much of North America. (635.9543 Har)

I’d also like to include one work of “fiction.”  I’ve read it, but the deer in my yard have not.

Deerproofing your yard and garden by Rhonda M. Hart tells homeowners exactly what they need to know: which commercial repellents are most (and least) effective, how to make homemade deterrents, and how to create a landscape designed to repel deer. This book is your best defense against unwanted deer. (635.0496 Har)