Books

Grounds for Pleasure: Four Centuries of the American Garden

Much like many of you dream over plant and seed catalogs in the depths of Winter, I am perusing gardening books as I wait out our August heat wave. We have been experiencing highs in the mid to upper-90's the last week or so. I just can't bring myself to do even the smallest gardening tasks in such heat, unless I work after the sun goes down.

This book is an excellent way to spend some time. A thorough retrospective of the history of American gardens, its text and wonderful photos help to show you what the designer was trying to accomplish and how the design changed with age. I have just been flipping through looking at photos and reading captions, but now I am going to go back and do some more in-depth reading.

Most of the gardens in the book are large scale design, but I have found many elements that can be used in even the smallest gardens.

If you are taking some time to rest after your garden work, this is the perfect book to carry to your garden chair, along with a cool glass of ice tea, and lose yourself among its pages. Both you and your garden will be better off for the visit.