Part III - Robin Haglund Shares Great Garden Books

Garden reference books are popular, but so are garden-related
fiction and biographies. Photo by BrewBooks on Flickr.

In an ongoing search for great garden books, this multi-part series has traveled everywhere from the city lights of Toronto (Part II) to remote Nova Scotia and historic Philadelphia (Part I).  This time, we're heading to the Northwest, specifically the scenic city of Seattle.

Robin Haglund is a professional garden coach and award-winning garden designer, who is passionate about cultivating beautiful and sustainable outdoor spaces. Although she has gardened, ranched and farmed in Virginia and all over California, Robin is now settled in Seattle (Zone 8).

For more than a decade, Robin has created gardens everywhere from the parking strip in front of her house to the driveway in the back. She says, "As with every garden, mine is a labor of love, always in progress."

As passionate about reading as she is about gardening, Robin admits, "I always have a mountain of books piled on my bedside table, by the sofa and loaded into my iPhone book apps. I gravitate to literature for a good read, while reference books are used for just that ... reference."

Although Robin agrees with Helen Battersby that Michael A. Dirr's books are excellent, adding that Dirr's Hardy Trees and Shrubs should be a "must-have book for any serious hort-head," she selected a biography as one of her favorite garden books.

The Garden of Invention: Luther Burbank and The Business of Breeding Plants by Jane Smith

This mix of history, botany and biography was the recipient of the Caroline Bancroft History Prize for the best book in Western American history.  It tells the story of plant breeding legend Luther Burbank of Santa Rosa, California, who was the world's most famous gardener a century ago.

"This biography of intrepid plant breeder Luther Burbank is a can't-put-it-down tale of Burbank's amazing life story," reports Robin. "I have a hard time agreeing with the idea of plant patents and ownership of nature. But reading this book gave me a stronger appreciation for the work that goes into developing new plants."

She adds, "I understand now why a breeder deserves credit and money for their developments. They can take decades and can transform what we eat for generations."

After reading this book, Robin now believes that "transforming food, through plant cultivation, isn't always a bad thing. Each time I bake a russet potato (the most widely grown cultivar in U.S.) or yank out yet another self-seeded Shasta Daisy, I think back on this fun read ... whether I'm enjoying a delicious meal or cursing Burbank for those darn stinky daisies."

Another favorite is The Ultimate Guide to Backyard Bugs: Garden Insects of North America by Whitney Cranshaw

Robin hosts a couple of honeybee hives with Corky Luster of Ballard Bee Company, so she certainly knows more than most about pollinators and insects.

Still she admits, "It's taken me years to find an insect guide that really works for me. Many guides let you look up insects by names to determine whether they are good or bad, and how to deal with them."

This book does that too, according to Robin, but what really differentiates the guide is the "fantastic set of photos showing insects in all stages of life."

"You can match a photo in the book to the critter you just pulled off the shrub," explains Robin. "You'll easily find your way to useful details on insect life cycles, controls, host plants, predators and more. If that isn't enough, the index gets down to the nitty-gritty."

Last fall, she found a shiny, gold beetle, so she looked up "golden bugs." Voila! Within minutes, she had identified her insect as "a bindweed-eatin' Golden Tortoise Beetle. Fantastic!"

Find Robin:
www.twitter.com/gardenmentor
http://www.gardenmentors.com/

Stay Tuned: Seasonal Wisdom is off to Northern California to share more great garden books.

Part I - Favorite Garden Books of Jodi DeLong and Carole Browne

Loads of books to read. Photo by maubrowncow on Flickr.


On cold winter days nothing beats the pleasure of curling up with a good book and a hot drink. That's especially true for gardeners ... who must patiently wait until Mother Nature allows them to finally play in the dirt again.

That's why I asked some garden writers and bloggers to share their favorite gardening books.  Here's what they had to say:

Jodi DeLong is a garden writer, who lives on 7 acres (Zone 5b) in a rural site in Nova Scotia, Canada, overlooking the Bay of Fundy. 

With "hundreds of books" in her library, Jodi is often found with a good book in her hand. And soon, she'll have her own book to hold when Plants for Atlantic Gardens (authored by Jodi) comes out in February - March 2011.

Meanwhile, here are two gardening books Jodi highly recommends:

Native Plants for North American Gardens by Allan Armitage

"Any of Armitage's books are excellent," says Jodi. "But I am especially fond of this book because he looks at natives using a North American perspective - as opposed to merely a county/state/province perspective."

As Jodi explains, "A plant may not be native to my area, but I still plant it knowing it is native elsewhere. And given the right growing conditions it will prosper here too. I'm not a natives-only sort of gardener but have always been interested in them. Reading Armitage's book gives me a far wider perspective on great plants from our continent."

Another one of Jodi's favorites?

Designing with Plants by Piet Oudolf and Noel Kingsbury

"Anything that Oudolf writes is worth having," says Jodi. "And Kingsbury is no slouch either. I love this book because it shows how to use certain plants - mostly perennials and some grasses - in wonderful ways, with large drifts focusing on texture, light and foliage color as well as flower or seedhead. They edge into four-season gardening, which I love."

Find Jodi:

http://www.bloomingwriter.blogspot.com/

www.twitter.com/bloomingwriter

Carole Brown gardens in Philadelphia (Zone 6b) in a neighborhood more than 100 years old. The many majestic, old trees in her area can sometimes cause problems with roofs and electric services, but they are home to a large number of birds, especially woodpeckers.

As creator of Ecosystem Gardening, Carole says, "My greatest joy is watching the butterflies, bees and birds who call my garden home. Who needs TV?"

Here are two of her favorite gardening books:

Designing Gardens with Flora of the American East
by Carolyn Summers                                                             

 "Many gardeners are reluctant to use native plants in their gardens because of the stereotype that native plants look wild and messy," explains Carole.

"Carolyn Summers breaks this stereotype down," she says, "by teaching gardeners how to design any style of garden using native plants. She covers formal gardens, cottage gardens, knot gardens and even Japanese style gardens. Summers has included plant lists and resources for each garden style, plus an entire chapter on how to best locate and purchase native plants."

Another favorite book explains how to create meadows in your garden.

Urban and Surburban Meadows: Bringing Meadowscaping to Big and Small Spaces

by Catherine Zimmerman

"A meadow is much more than a collection of wildflowers," says Carole. "It is a living ecosystem which supports butterflies, pollinators, birds and other wildlife. Most books about meadows ignore this fact."

According to Carole, this book does a great job of describing how a meadow community is made when native plants are used correctly to create a garden full of life.

"The book thoroughly describes the process," says Carole. "There are helpful tips for evaluating your site, preparing your space, planting your meadow and maintaining it. Plant lists for every area of the country are featured, as well as a thorough list of local and regional resources to help you make the best plant choices for your areas."

Find Carole:

http://www.ecosystemgardening.com/

www.twitter.com/cb4wildlife

Gardening books galore! Photo by Canton Public Library (MI)

So, as the snowflakes fall and the winter temperatures keep dropping, be sure to pull out a good book to keep you inspired. More great book suggestions are coming soon from your favorite garden writers and bloggers. Stay tuned!