Garden Whimsy - Hardcover

Martin, Tovah

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0395937310 ISBN 13: 9780395937310

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin, 1999

Synopsis

The authors of Tasha Tudor's Garden turn their attention to garden whimsy, describing the birdhouses, scarecrows, topiary animals, gates, fences, and other beloved objects that make a garden more than just a collection of fauna.

About this title

Reviews

Martin and Brown (Tasha Tudor's Garden) take a walk on the lighter side of horticulture. Postulating that "gardeners suffer from a tendency to take themselves too seriously," the pair drop in on 10 practitioners of the craft who have learned to cut loose a little. Clearly inspired by their subjects (quirky green thumbs who leaven their compost with irreverent wit and creative flair), the authors chronicle found art and impertinent plant pairings. Whether visiting a plot presided over by a prom queen scarecrow (a classic Grecian nude attired in a flaming pink strapless evening gown), debating the exact hue of a 1955 Chevy pickup that has inadvertently become a garden feature (Martin describes it as "cantaloupe," the owner counters with "Velveeta") or coaxing confessions from wags such as the one whose yard sports a short-necked topiary giraffe ("I got tired halfway up"), Martin's text is hilarious and filled with lively anecdotes. Brown's lush photographs, meanwhile, capture the outdoor audacity in all its glory. They will have even the most staid gardeners looking for ways to spice up the landscape. (Nov.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Gardeners who have spent the summer battling the heat, the droughts, and the ever-encroaching weeds will find pleasure in this book. Martin (Tasha Tudor's Garden) and Brown combine their skills here to present a lighthearted look at some eccentric but always charming people who take a slightly different approach to their gardens. Ten New England gardeners are profiled, including a couple whose garden is filled with humorous signs and mirrors that play tricks on visitors, a man whose obsession with sunflowers takes on a macabre tone, and a Connecticut woman whose riotous color schemes must be confined to the back lest she offend her subdued neighbors. Interspersed are brief passages that profile elements of the whimsical garden, such as topiaries, statues, and birdhouses. Every chapter is a delight, and the accompanying photographs are wonderful. Recommended for public libraries.APhillip Oliver, Univ. of North Alabama Lib., Florence
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
• Publication date: 1999
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0395937310
• ISBN 13: 9780395937310
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 144