December 2015 Book Review The Covering all ages for this holiday season, here are 2 stocking stuffer books and one for the kids. Tips from the Old Gardeners compiled by Duncan Crosbie and published by Conari Press in 2005 has all the old wives tales that have been passed on to us for centuries about gardening- what worked, what didn t, when to plant, what to plant with what. Information humans have been passing on to the next generation before scientific studies proved them true or false. This is a small delightful book of less than 100 pages packed full of wisdom, whether you believe the advice or not or follow some of these tips in your own garden it is up to you. It is fun reading. The second review is Butterfly Gardening with Native Plants-How to Attract and Identify Butterflies by Christopher Kline, published in 2012 by Skyhorse Publishing. This book has 2 main goals, first to advise you on how to attract butterflies to your garden and second, it is also a guide to the different types of butterflies. Descriptions of the native host plants, their requirements and growth season are included as well as best garden layouts. The author lists his top ten Gold Star must have plants such as Purple Milkweed and Joe Pye Weed. Again a small book, packed with information. The third book is Gardening Lab for Kids-52 Fun Experiments by Renata Fossen Brown, published by Quarry Books in 2014. This book is a collection of activities the author has developed as the Education Director at the Cleveland Botanical Garden. 52 plant related activities from understanding how plants grow and plant anatomy and growing your own pizza garden to creating art projects in and for the garden, such as making a clay pot fountain make gardening fun for children. Not only school educators but also parents and grandparents can help children develop a love for nature and gardening by using these simple experiments. Happy Holidays Anna Sheets GCSC Website Chairman Garden Book Review
November 2015 Book Review The This publication from The American Horticultural Society entitled- Plant Propagation with Editor- in-chief, Alan Toogood from DK Publishing was printed in 1999, I found at a local bookstore recently. 320 pages jampacked with information about propagating plants. Starting with a history of propagation and going to modern techniques, this book covers a vast history of how we acquire more plants, from simple seed gathering, storing, and sowing to today s micropropagation of cells. This tell- all book describes vegetative propagation, air layering, grafting and cuttings plus which plants produce best results from which method. Tools and equipment are listed with full color pages of how each tool is used. Best soils and growing media for which plant types are described, as well as setting up and maintaining greenhouses. I firmly believe no one will fail if they follow these detailed explanations with pictures of different propagating methods applied to hundreds of different plants, trees, shrubs, flowers, annuals, and bulbs. Did you know you can take a daffodil bulb and using hygienic methods, cut the bulb into 8-16 chips, like orange segments. After soaking the chips in a fungicidal solution for 15 minutes, and air drying for a while, place the chips in a clear plastic bag containing10 parts vermiculite to 1 part water. Inflate the bag, seal it, and be sure to label it. Keep in a dark place at 68 degrees F; after about 12 weeks bulblets will form and you will have new plants. This book is a must have if you are a serious gardener or only an occasional one. New plants cost money every season, but by recycling and reusing plants from your garden and your friends, you can have a successful garden. Happy propagating. Anna Sheets GCSC Website Chairman Garden Book Review
October 2015 Book Review The Here is another Timber Press garden related publication. Written in 2015 by Chris Bennett, Southeast Foraging- 120 Wild and Flavorful Edibles from Angelica to Wild Plums is a fun and interesting logical extension of the farm to table movement. Since humans have been living off the land for millennia, you might today find local edible wild plants on your dinner table at an urban restaurant, ever have watercress salad or mayhaw jelly. Remember the guy on the weekly TV series that told us what to eat in the forests. Now days foraging is done in a sustainable way. The Golden Rule is never take everything, take some and leave some for the local wildlife. This does not apply to invasive plants such as garlic or mustard and many others that crowd out native plants. These are the exceptions, so take as much as you want. The local native plants will thank you for it. Foraging requires the proper gear such as wearing closed-toe comfortable shoes, long pants, a hat and of course, bug repellant. Essential tools consist of a good knife, small backpack or a bag or a pail with a handle and a digging shovel. Not only does the author describe the edible, where and when to gather it, but also how to gather, how to eat and preserve and any warnings of potential toxicity. For instance, wisteria flowers are edible. They can be eaten raw or cooked, but any other part of the wisteria is extremely poisonous. Plants are also listed according to what season they grow so something edible can be found year around. This might be a fun outing for your garden club to try. Happy foraging. Anna Sheets GCSC Website Chairman Garden Book Review
September 2015 Book Review This 2007 publication by Timber Press which I found at a local bookstore, is a field guide, a working book, not a coffee table dust collector. Native Trees of the Southeast-An Identification Guide is authored by 3 experts- L. Katherine Kirkman, Claud L. Brown and Donald J. Leopold. This is an excellent reference book, small enough to carry with you when exploring parks, gardens or natural habitats. Colored pictures of the flowers, fruit, leaves and even twigs and bark of the tree in winter and summer are given for every tree in the guide. But first we need a definition of What is a tree? A tree is a species that reaches 15 feet and has a single trunk, topped with an upright crown of branches. There are 229 trees native to the Southeast. Did you know the Saucer Magnolia is a native tree? Digital maps of local growing areas are included. There is also a list of 16 introduced and naturalized trees considered invasive and widely distributed that can pose a threat to native specimens; these include crepe myrtle, mimosa, and tung oil tree (I have one in my yard. It has beautiful heart-shaped leaves). For someone like myself who did not grow up in the Southeast, my knowledge of these trees is limited. I may be able the difference between a conifer and an oak tree, but with this book, I can tell that oak is a White Oak and that conifer is a Loblolly Pine. People, without training in Botany or other plant sciences, can utilize the information in this book. A glossary helps define terms used. This needs to be a must- have book for youth field trips, scouts or touring garden groups. Happy gardening this season Anna Sheets, Chairman, Garden Book Review
June Garden Book Review As your newly appointed Book Nook Website Chair, my plan after this initial review is to follow my predecessor, Minnie Mayberry s schedule starting in September. I know several of you incorporate the garden book reviews in your club meetings and newsletters and I hope you will continue this practice. Of course any suggestions for interesting garden books will be most welcome. My selection for June is a newly published book entitled, Biodynamic Gardening- Grow healthy plants and amazing produce with the help of the moon and nature s cycles. By Monty Walden, 2015, Penguin Random House Publishers; $22.95 at your local book shops. Biodynamic gardening sounds strange, but it is based on concepts conceived in the 1920 s after WWI. Those of you who understand and/or practice organic gardening will be familiar with many of the concepts in this book. First of all, this is a beautifully illustrated volume in full color. Any directions are accompanied with step by step color photos. The author describes how to assess your garden paying attention to the basics such as your garden direction, sun light patterns, rainfall averages, ground drainage, soil ph, etc. He describes 9 different plants to grow that can treat different conditions in your garden. How about oak bark concoction to treat powdery mildew or a pine nut slug repellant. Rediscover the value of timing key tasks such as sowing, planting or harvesting to lunar cycles- i.e.- pruning should be done when the new moon is present, due to less lunar gravitational pull, there is less loss of sap and waterplants tolerate pruning better. When should you sow seeds for better germination and greater yields? 2-3 days before or after a full moon. The answer is in the book. This may sound like mumbo jumbo to some of us, but remember this was the way farmers for thousands of years have produced their harvest and fed their family. With modern technology, we have lost that connection with nature s natural rhythms. This book will rekindle that instinct in you. Happy gardening this season. Anna Sheets GCSC Website Chairman Garden Book Review
May 2015 Book Review During the last six years that I have had the privilege of being a part of the BOOK NOOK, the quality of the gardening books that are being written has risen to amazing heights, in my opinion. We gardeners are having a good time in the dirt and I believe this is being reflected in the gardening books that are available on the market. Native Plants of the Southeast by Larry Mellichamp with photographs by Will Stuart is the May review book. This 350 page book is top-of-the-line from every view point. What a great book, a must for all southeastern gardeners! It was published in 2014 by Timber Press of London, England, and Portland, Oregon. It is available in book stores and on the internet at the list price of $39.95. Larry Mellichamp resides in Charlotte, North Carolina, and is a botany professor at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He is Director of the university s botanical gardens as well. Will Stuart s spectacular color photography makes the book come alive. A Comprehensive Guide to the Best 460 Species for the Garden is how the author introduces this book. A history lesson on native plants follows, and proceeds to tell us why we should use native plants, and how and where to use these plants. The reader is led from the mountains to the coast. Every plant, tree, grass, vine, fern and wild flower is accompanied by its own color photography. The book is a veritable gardening feast. Fill your plate and I hope you enjoy this book as I have, and will in times to come. Now it is time for me to say I am stepping aside from this chair. I thank all three of the past presidents (Betsy Steele, Maida Dantzler and Judith Dill) I have had the privilege to serve. To Margaret Graham who has been the website chairman during my six years, my hat is off to you and I thank you for all your help. We have had only good words and times. To my readers thanks for your suggestions and support, and simply for reading the BOOK NOOK. To Anna Sheets, the incoming book review chairman, I wish you happy times-it s a great job. Fondly, Minnie Mayberry GCSC Website Chairman, Garden Book Review
April 2015 Book Review In February my husband and I, along with our house guests, were attending the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition; we stopped to look at the University of South Carolina s Press booth. The two books I discovered there make up this month s book review. Each book is something I want you readers to know about. The first book is a charming children s book named Katie s Cabbage by Katie Stagliano. This book is based on a true story set in Summerville, SC and has potential for youth education, a program that the GCSC supports. A quick synopsis of the book; Katie s fourth grade teacher gives each child a cabbage plant to take home and plant. Katie s plant grows to weigh 40 pounds. She donates the cabbage to a soup kitchen to help feed the homeless. Katie is now in high school and has founded Katie s Krops, a nonprofit organization to start vegetable gardens to help the needy. The Youth Chairmen of the garden clubs that make up the GCSC could use this Book as a tool in furthering youth education. About ten years ago when I was the State Litter Chairman, the garden clubs of South Carolina used a children s book called The Wartville Wizard to teach elementary school children about litter. Katie s Cabbage has a good message for elementary school children. The second book is Daffodils in American Gardens 1733-1940 by Sara L. Van Beck. This volume is a learned study of daffodils in America. The author takes the reader on a journey through six chapters of prose and wonderful drawings, old photographs and landscape garden plans. The final chapter discusses daffodils in historic gardens with a special emphasis on cemeteries. The author is a plant historian, a horticulturist and an officer in the American Daffodil Society. In her acknowledgments she recognizes the late James R. Cothran. Jim Cothran was a great friend of the and is missed by all whose life he touched. Daffodils in American Gardens 1733-1940 was published by the University of South Carolina Press in 2015 and is available in local book stores and through the internet. Fondly, Minnie Mayberry, GCSC Website Chairman, Garden Book Review
March 2015 Book Review One of the early book reviews I wrote for this column was about The Southern Living Garden Book. That manuscript was published in 2009. The 2009 volume replaced a 1998 book with the same title. Well, here we are in 2015 with The New Southern Living Garden Book that has undergone changes and is a wonderful gardening tool for the South. The first chapter in the book, titled The Essentials of Southern Gardening, starts by giving an interesting account of southern gardening from colonial times to the present. Many of our country s founding fathers were very accomplished gardeners. George Washington and Thomas Jefferson were both fine gardeners along with many other of our colonial settlers The southeastern section of the United States of America was settled as a group of agricultural colonies. These colonies were not land locked, but were dotted with seaports. Plants were brought to this part of America from around the world. This added to our native plants and gave southern horticulture, both past and present, its unusual plant material. This book is filled with plant finder advice and next moves into the south s best plants in alphabetical order. The color photography throughout the 700 plus pages will be very helpful to all gardeners, from novices to champions. The New Southern Living Garden Book is available on line and in book stores. My hat is off to Southern Living for a job well done. Add this new edition to your garden books and you will use it time and time again. Let s hope spring is around the corner. It has been too cold too long! Fondly, Minnie Mayberry GCSC Website Chairman, Garden Book Review
February 2015 Book Review Several years ago I happened upon a neighbor planting tomatoes in bales of hay that he had placed in established flower beds around his backyard. I found this quite interesting and innovative. His harvest was bountiful and tasty. That entire affair had not crossed my mind for years, until I saw a gardening book titled Straw Bale Gardens, the Breakthrough Method for Growing Vegetables Anywhere, Earlier and with no Weeding, by Joel Karsten. The author was raised on a farm in Minnesota and is a graduate of the University of Minnesota. He works in the field of horticulture. His adventure into straw bale gardening is a very good story. As you read this book you enjoy the tale and learn how to plant this kind of garden. The attention to detail plus the accompanying illustrations make a well presented book. Mr. Karsten has a great sense of humor; for example, the name of one of his chapters is Straw-the reason cows moo and pigs oink. The publisher is Cool Springs Press of Minneapolis, Minnesota. It was printed in 2013 and can be found on line as well as in book stores. The cover price is $19.95. Widen your horizons with the ideas found in the book recommended in the February book review, or just enjoy the read even if you don t plant. My daffodils are up and who knows, I just may go buy some bales of straw. Stay out of trouble! Fondly, Minnie Mayberry GCSC Website Chairman, Garden Book Review
January 2015 Book Review Happy New Year!! I hope your holiday was blessed and that the New Year brings you joy. For January I have chosen a book entitled Deep Rooted Wisdom, Skills and Stories from Generations of Gardeners by Augustus Jenkins Farmer, published in 2014 by Timber Press, Inc. Some of you who read my monthly offering may be familiar with Jenks Farmer. If so, just let me tell the remaining readers a bit about this gentle man. He is a South Carolinian, residing here as well as working with his partner Tom Hall in the horticulture field. An example of his talent can be seen at the River Bank Garden in Columbia, South Carolina. Those of you who have attended GCSC board meetings in past years have enjoyed first hand his handiwork while going to and from these gatherings. Mr. Farmer will be attending, speaking and autographing his book in Charleston in April 2015 at the annual Meeting of the GCSC. Mark your calendars and join us for a treat. Now the icing on the cake for, Felder Rushing has written the introduction to the book. Felder is one of the South s horticultural geniuses. He writes with wit and flare, and an abundance of knowledge. The last sentence in the introduction sums up the book perfectly; Don t just pick this up as a gardening guide; as you pick this man s amazing brain, and read between the lines for glimpses of his wry humor, feel his loving heart as well. Reading this book reveals many things for gardeners-stories, how-to-dos, and just what the title says; Skills and Stories from Generations of Gardeners. When next we meet please let me know your opinion of Deep Rooted Wisdom. Fondly, Minnie Mayberry GCSC Website Chairman, Garden Book Review