Gardens in Winter

Rating:
Summary: Great winter reading
Review: Southern garden readers are probably familiar with Elizabeth Lawrence, who published the classic "A Southern Garden" in 1942. She was the first woman to receive a degree in landscape architecture from the North Carolina State College School of Design and her books and newspaper columns chronicled her experiences growing plants in her gardens in Raleigh, North Carolina and later, Charlotte, North Carolina.

Lawrence was obsessive about dates and she kept meticulous notes recording the earliest and latest bloom dates for every plant she grew. She was also an enthusiastic correspondent with other gardeners throughout the United States and she was eager to learn what was blooming in other parts of the country so that she could compare them with plants in her own garden. Among the many correspondents that she quotes often in her books are Mr. Kippendorf (Lawrence was the epitomy of a genteel southern lady and always addresses everyone as "Mr." or "Mrs.), a man who grew thousands of bulbs on his Ohio property, and Caroline Dormon, a Louisiana gardener who also did the line drawings for this book. Lawrence was also fond of E.A. Bowles, the English gardener who published several gardening classics and she quotes him often in this book.

Lawrence's writing however is not just a chronology of bloom dates. She was a gifted writer and her descriptions of colors, nature, birds in her garden and the seasonal changes are wonderful. Her writing is pure enchantment and her enthusiasm is contagious. Her books are great for winter reading as well as a good reference source throughout the year (her "Southern Garden" includes her records for bloom dates in her garden). This book, "Gardens in Winter" begins in November and stretches through Feb. 14, when she says that spring begins in her garden. She writes about all types of plants but camellias, bulbs, hollies and viburnums are discussed at lenghth. Above all, Lawrence proves to the reader that the southern garden is anything but dead during the winter months.

Rating:
Summary: Great winter reading
Review: Southern garden readers are probably familiar with Elizabeth Lawrence, who published the classic "A Southern Garden" in 1942. She was the first woman to receive a degree in landscape architecture from the North Carolina State College School of Design and her books and newspaper columns chronicled her experiences growing plants in her gardens in Raleigh, North Carolina and later, Charlotte, North Carolina.

Lawrence was obsessive about dates and she kept meticulous notes recording the earliest and latest bloom dates for every plant she grew. She was also an enthusiastic correspondent with other gardeners throughout the United States and she was eager to learn what was blooming in other parts of the country so that she could compare them with plants in her own garden. Among the many correspondents that she quotes often in her books are Mr. Kippendorf (Lawrence was the epitomy of a genteel southern lady and always addresses everyone as "Mr." or "Mrs.), a man who grew thousands of bulbs on his Ohio property, and Caroline Dormon, a Louisiana gardener who also did the line drawings for this book. Lawrence was also fond of E.A. Bowles, the English gardener who published several gardening classics and she quotes him often in this book.

Lawrence's writing however is not just a chronology of bloom dates. She was a gifted writer and her descriptions of colors, nature, birds in her garden and the seasonal changes are wonderful. Her writing is pure enchantment and her enthusiasm is contagious. Her books are great for winter reading as well as a good reference source throughout the year (her "Southern Garden" includes her records for bloom dates in her garden). This book, "Gardens in Winter" begins in November and stretches through Feb. 14, when she says that spring begins in her garden. She writes about all types of plants but camellias, bulbs, hollies and viburnums are discussed at lenghth. Above all, Lawrence proves to the reader that the southern garden is anything but dead during the winter months.