HE’S CHEEKY, talented, and
he loves hens. Arthur Parkinson,
author of The Pottery
Gardener: Flowers and Hens
at the Emma Bridgewater
Factory (The History Press,
$42.95), is renowned for his
care as head gardener of the
urban gardens at the famous
UK pottery factory. He also
is well-regarded for his fl oral
designs and his love of the
chickens at Chatsworth. Trained
at The Royal Botanic Gardens at
Kew, he gardened with famed
UK fl ower gardener Sarah
Raven. Parkinson speaks of
admiring gardens as beautiful
chaos with sultry color palettes
frequented by a bevy of fl uffy
ladies, aka his hens. Go ahead,
try his head-turning container
ideas at home. You will need a
couple large planters, tubers
of dahlias such as ‘Totally
Tangerine’ and ‘Hot Cakes’,
gladiolus corms such as ‘Plum
Tart’ and ‘Espresso’, and a hint
of sassy attitude to welcome
Parkinson’s potted passions
into your own garden.
to stop and breathe in the rose petal brandy, peppercorn-rose salt,
and lavender sel et poivre (salt and pepper). A Taste for Herbs:
A Guide to Seasonings, Mixes and Blends from the Herb Lover’s
Garden (Sue Goetz, St. Lynn’s Press, $23.95) is your new
source for sweet and savory seasonings to have on hand and give
as gifts. Learn how to mix the right herbs from your garden to
enhance the fl avor of any dish. The variations on pesto, including
lemon-lime and minty sweet, are our new go-tos for zippy
one-dish pasta dinners. And the pineapple-ginger infused water
is fantastically refreshing.
PAGE. 102
GARDENER’S
BOOKSHELF
WRITTEN BY
MARY ANN NEWCOMER
PHOTOGRAPHY BY
BRIE PASSANO
FEAST YOUR EYES on this
beautiful guide to growing and
savoring vegetables, including
the ones you know and the ones
you want to know. In Mastering
the Art of Vegetable
Gardening: Rare Varieties -
Unusual Options - Plant Lore
& Guidance (Cool Springs
Press, $30), author Matt Mattus
expresses his love of veggies
and his gardening expertise
through lore and lessons,
lush photos, pest and disease
solutions, and extensive lists of
varieties to try. You’ll fi nd out
about eight varieties of okra,
six types of fennel, and so much
more. His garden experience
has history, too; Mattus still
grows vegetables on the
same land his grandparents
sowed. As I read this book, my
list of vegetables and fruits
to try grew and then grew
some more. “What you grow
is a personal choice,” Mattus
says. “Be creative. Treat your
vegetable garden as your own
private fantasy supermarket.”
This is one delicious vegetable
gardening book to own.
NEED TIME TO RELAX
and fi nd joy? Leisurely peruse
12 of California garden designer
Scott Shrader’s quiet and
elegant outdoor escapes in
The Art of Outdoor Living:
Gardens for Entertaining
Family and Friends (Scott
Shrader, Rizzoli Press, $50).
Hot, dry spaces transform
into cool, tranquil retreats in
Shrader’s hands. Understated
palettes in shades of silver,
gray, white, and green soften
gravel and stone hardscapes in
welcoming outdoor living and
dining spaces. Conscientious
of the native environment,
Shrader weaves layers of
function into the beautiful
lounging spaces and backyard
retreats he designs. Step away
from the chattering urban
world and imagine a backdrop
of birdsong, laughter, and the
cooling sound of ice tinkling in
glasses as you take a moment to
unwind with friends and family
out in the garden.
GARDENING REMINDS
us that change is inevitable.
Plants grow: Trees cast shade
where there once was none,
shrubs outgrow that perfect
border, perennials die,
weeds invade, and hardscape
crumbles. But never fear! Nick
Bailey, a British garden designer
and former head gardener at
Chelsea Physic Garden, will help
you tackle all these issues in
Revive Your Garden: How to
Bring Your Outdoor Space Back
to Life (Kyle Books, $30). Step-
by-step, Bailey walks through
how to spruce up plantings with
smart pruning and maintenance
techniques. He also shares
his favorite unexpected ways
to combine plants, such as
growing a clematis through your
forsythia. When the forsythia is
done with its spring display, a
colorful clematis or annual vine
woven through the stems keeps
it looking lively the rest of the
year. The pruning and shaping
tips, layering recommendations,
hardscaping fi xes, and photos
are spot-on and easy to grasp.
And the anchoring seasonal
chart is brilliant!
COUNTRY GARDENS // FA LL 2019
TAKE A MOMENT
