On my reading table: Front Yard Gardens

 Front Yard Gardens by Liz Primeau

This book and I are old library friends. I first found it about five years ago, read it, enjoyed it, returned it to the library. It was based in the old Central Library in Gloucester Street. I used to make special trips to the library when I felt like browsing the garden section, or maybe cooking or craft or design. But every now and then I'd check if Front Yard Gardens was in, and if it was I'd borrow it. The last time I had it out was well before the earthquake, and it was one of the things I wondered about when I saw the pictures of the ravaged library after the quake - "oh no! Front Yard Gardens is in there!" - and I wondered if I'd ever see it again. I'd tried to find it online without success. Long story short, I found it (or possibly another copy) at my local library last weekend, and I was more than happy to renew our acquaintance.

 The book starts off with some interesting chapters about the history of lawns, and people's obsession with keeping a bare, but extremely tidy patch of lawn in front of their house. The author started off with just such a patch, but as she ran out of space for plants her beds began to encroach on the lawn, until she eventually decided: out with the grass! This was seen as a radical move in her neighbourhood until eventually neighbours embraced the change and some even planted front yard gardens of their own.

 The rest of the book is a range of gardens in different styles, but all accessible from the street front. (Well, almost all - there is also a chapter called Secret Gardens.) There are suggestions for everything from paving ideas to car parking to how to extend your garden so it meets up with your neighbour's, but still has a path for the postman to walk through. There are lots of lovely photos and the whole range of seasons is covered.

I've always loved the idea of having a remarkable front garden that becomes something of a neighbourhood landmark. I'm miles away from that yet - my front yard is a bit of a shocker actually, it hardly looks like someone who likes gardening even lives here. But every time I read this book I get ideas, so one of these days they might even come to fruition.

I did find the author's perspective interesting though - she lives in Canada and in her neighbourhood it was normal for there to be no front fence, just a perfectly trimmed and manicured lawn that stretches between house and sidewalk. There might be a shrub or two and perhaps a specimen tree, but anything else was frowned on. If you planted a garden you risked your neighbours complaining. (Luckily her nieghbours loved hers when it was done!) This seemed strange to me, as in New Zealand privacy is important and most people would have at least a small fence marking their space off from the footpath. And it's definitely more normal to have a front garden of some sort than not. Although, some of the newer subdivisions (the expensive ones) seem to have that American Suburbia vibe going on and they don't tend to have fences, but they do have a small sweep of lawn between the house and the street. 

I'm curious - what are front yards like where you live? Do you live in the land of the lush green lawn, are you fenced in, or have you designed a neighbourhood masterpiece?

On my reading table: The Flower Recipe Book

The Flower Recipe Book by Alethea Harampolis and Jill Rizzo

I love flower arranging. It's one of those little things that just makes me really happy, and I'm always looking for more ideas and inspiration for creating seasonal, natural looking arrangements. When I came across this book in a shop recently I couldn't let it go. There was just no way it was not coming home with me! Have a look at these pictures and you'll see why.

The book is arranged alphabetically by flower type. Each flower type has at least two 'recipes', some simple and some elaborate. The recipes start with an ingredient list, which tells you what flowers are required and how many stems of each, and a recommended vessel. Most recipes are illustrated with step by step photo instructions, which tell you exactly what to add and in what order. This is what is so great for me, as I often have problems with my arrangements flopping. Is it because I don't have enough stems or because I'm adding things in the wrong order? I think that once I've practised with a few of these recipes I'll have a better idea.

The big, beautiful photos throughout are eye candy in themselves. And I really like that most of the flowers and foliage used in the book are ones that are easily grown at home, so I already have a lot of them in my garden. (Except snowberries... which are now on the top of my list for next time I want to buy a shrub to plant.)

Here's my first arrangement based on one of the hellebore recipes (see photo below). I had to substitute a few things - I didn't have any mock orange, so I used stems of wintersweet with its fresh new spring leaves, and some white primulas. And I didn't have tulips so I used hellebores in a different colour. Oh, and the first ranunculus of the season had to be celebrated, so I slipped that in there too! I'm really happy with this one. It's not a carbon copy (and not meant to be) but helped me to arrange in a way I normally wouldn't, and most importantly, nothing flopped!

On my reading table - Sweet Peas For Summer

Sweet Peas For Summer - how to create a garden in a year by Laetitia Maklouf.

This book is the story of the author's first backyard garden, and how she got it dug and blooming within a year. Having gardened for a decade in pots and on balconies, she had a strong idea of what she wanted in her garden so was able to get stuck in right away. One of her first projects was sowing sweet pea seeds to have flowers for summer.

The book is divided into seasons with a new chapter for each month.  Each chapter starts with a brief write-up of Laetitia's garden that month, then it has a list of tasks to do in your own garden. Then there are various projects, plantings and plant profiles, each illustrated with a gorgeous photo.

Although the book is aimed at beginner gardeners and I'm well past the beginner stage, I still found a lot to like. The easy, chatty style of writing is fun to read and the photos are beautiful. There are lots of projects which inspired me and interesting tidbits of information.

I enjoyed seeing photos of Laetitias garden, and my only quibble would be that there aren't many pictures of the garden as a whole. I would have also liked a garden plan or sketch to give me an idea of where things were in relation to each other.

Having said that, I enjoyed the chatty, friendly style of writing - pretty much like a blog in book form. While I may not be a beginner any more I still enjoy reading about how other people do things, and of course there is always something new to learn. I think everyone from beginners to experienced gardeners will find something to like here.

Isn't this bowl of hellebores lovely? Can't wait for mine to bloom so I can do this! (I'm also going to pin a flower in my hair and plant sarcococca and hang baskets from my apple tree, as soon as it is big enough.)

I'm linking this post to HolleyGarden's monthly book review meme. She has a great archive of book reviews here now, so do take a look!

On my reading table - Vintage Flowers

 When this book and I met at the library, I eyed it somewhat dubiously and imagined its pages to be full of kitschy, retro arrangements featuring genuine vintage silk flowers. (An impression strengthened by the way my library has cut and pasted the cover, making this arrangement even more funerary.) Well, granny chic is hot right now, it could be interesting, I reasoned, and tucked it in my bag.

Upon arriving home I opened the book, and realised that my first impressions weren't too far wrong, except that the arrangements are made (mostly) with real flowers. However, it is still kitschy, retro, granny-cool and gorgeous. Also, I must point out, it's a new book - from 2011.

The layout of the book is beautiful. There is a chapter dedicated to roses, and thanks to the quirky vintage vibe, the arrangements are classic but never boring. It's not a how-to book, but the gorgeous photos and juxtaposition of the images will give you inspiration aplenty.

There are plenty of seasonal ideas too.

While it's not a how-to book, there are still some basic techniques explained - how to make a hand-tied posy, how to make a satisfying jug of flowers, how to use floral foam. But really it's all about the images. I'm already missing this book (I had to return it to the library) but it's on my wishlist, and I'm hoping we'll meet again in the future.

I'm linking up again to HolleyGarden's monthly book review post. See here for more gardening books to read.

On my reading table - Jane Packer's Flower Course

 This weekend my dahlias were finally blooming profusely enough that I was able to pick a big bunch of them and stuff a vase really full. I've been wanting to do that all summer. Another thing I'd been wanting to do was learn how to arrange flowers 'properly', ie so that they stay where I put them in the vase and don't flop all over the place.

 Jane Packer's Flower Course covers the basics in flower arranging, with step by step photographic tutorials of techniques including a flat bouquet and a classic hand tied bouquet.

 It also has plenty of eye candy in the form of beautiful photos, showing different examples of the techniques.

It's definitely on the 'floristy' side of flower arranging, with a chapter devoted to wedding bouquets and buttonholes. But the pretty pictures were enough to inspire me, and if I can actually master the hand tied bouquet, I'll be in business!

I'm linking up to HolleyGarden's monthly book review post - click here for other garden books to read!

Magazine inspiration

 I think I have mentioned before that I have a small problem when it comes to magazines. The problem is that I am addicted. The central library used to have a great selection of international gardening magazines, and I enjoyed making special trips into town to pile up as many as I could carry home, to feast my eyes over the gorgeous images. Unfortunately the central library has been a no go zone since the Feb 22 quake, and I have no idea what happened to their subscription magazines - they haven't come to my local library. So I'm having to buy magazines. (I'm not as sad about this as you might imagine.)

 The good thing is that I'm amassing a good home library of beautiful pictures, and the bad thing is that international magazines are so damn expensive, and also the wrong season! But, by the time they hit the shops here, they are a couple of months out of date and therefore pretty much only a season ahead, if you think of it that way. 

 Anyway. This is the August issue of Gardens Illustrated, from the UK. I love the colours of the late summer plants pictured above... I really must get myself some honesty seeds. And I would love a bower like in the second picture - but I will settle for making myself a bench out of some rustic planks (got plenty of those lying around).

 Now, get ready for something exciting. This is La Chatonniere in France - and check out that potager shaped like a rose leaf!!! I do think that is the most beautiful potager design I've ever seen. I'm just so excited by it. If I were starting my potager over again, I'd try to incorporate this design. Of course, I'd need a castle and a humongous estate to really do it properly.

There are several themed gardens throughout La Chatonniere and each has a name. The potager is the Garden of Abundance. My other favourite is the Garden of Dance - thousands of narcissi and other spring bulbs planted in this beautiful pattern, which sway and dance in the spring breeze. Have a look at the La Chatonniere website for more photos and information on the other gardens, including Intelligence, Romance, Luxuriance, Fragrance and Silence.

On my reading table - Garden Spells

Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen

How could I not love a book featuring a magic garden? In the small town of Bascom, everyone knows that if you eat an apple from the Waverleys' tree, it will show you a vision of the biggest thing to happen in your life. Claire Waverley is a caterer, creating wonderful dishes from the flowers in her garden, that affect the eater in curious ways. Claire's quiet life becomes a little more lively with the return of her sister Sydney, who has her own Waverley gift.

This is a beautiful book to read, full of quirky characters and imaginative descriptions. The magic is an everyday thing, it's not treated as anything unusual. The house and garden are sensitive, so when tensions rise flowers bloom at night, door handles shift from the left to the right, drinks freeze themselves... oh and did I mention the magic garden? I want a magic garden. The apple tree wants people to eat its visionary fruit, so it throws fruit or rolls them along the ground.

An easy and delightful read, perfect for snuggling in front of the fire with.

******** Edited 22 Jan 2012, to add to Holleygarden's Garden Book Review. **********

On my reading table

Dreamhunter and Dreamquake by Elizabeth Knox

This gorgeously written "duet" by NZ author Elizabeth Knox deserves to be more widely known. It tells the story of the Place, a sort of no-man's-land where dreams can literally be caught as if catching a cold. Only dreamhunters can cross the border into the Place. There they camp, sleep, and if they are lucky and sleeping on the right spot, they will catch a wonderful (or frightening) dream. Once loaded with a dream, the dreamhunter will "perform" the dream nightly at one of the opulent dream palaces - these are where the rich and fabulous members of society go, clad in silk pyjamas and fashionable nightgowns, to retire to their private suites and be swept away in a dream not of their own making. Dreamhunters can become wealthy and famous, but they are also held in a superstitious awe, since not everyone can or wants to be able to enter the Place.

Cousins Laura and Rose come from the most famous dreamhunting family, and are awaiting their Try to discover if they have the ability to enter the Place. Set in a sort of alternate Edwardian era, the girls also attend school at Founderston Girls Academy, prepare for balls and have tea and cream cakes at Farry's Confectioners. The writing is lush and descriptive, and the story is intelligent and complex. It has some interesting twists and turns, but everything fits in somehow, somewhere. I've read this duet several times now for the beautiful visuals and the wonderful characters who now feel like old friends.

Good books.

On my reading table

 Annnnd... it's another Country Living magazine! This is the March issue. I had to buy this one as well, giving myself a stern talking to all the time. You see, I have a bit of a magazine addiction. That is why the library is so great - I bring home as many as I can carry, they are free, and they don't sit around cluttering up my house for long. For I can never bring myself to throw away something that I spent so much money on, nor can I bear to rip out the pages. However it is nice to know they are there to go back to.

 On the cover, it's spring! I love the terracotta pots, and the wicker basket with the spring flowers... pasque flowers if I'm not mistaken.

 This vignette could be adapted to any season just by changing the flowers. The warm colours are quite autumnal.

 I love open shelving in a kitchen, especially when your utensils are pretty as well as practical. I really want a woven mat like that one!

This lady makes limited edition prints from potatoes! Come on guys, we could all do that one. Look how cute her mice are though... I guess that takes a special kind of skill.

On my reading table

 I've just finished the first three books in the True Blood/Sookie Stackhouse series, by Charlaine Harris. I've been a fan of the True Blood TV show since it started, so reading the books is of course the next step. (If I watch a movie or TV show and find out it was based on a book, I always get a bit obsessed with finding and reading that book.) Luckily my very dear friend has the series and lent me the books, otherwise I would have been tearing my hair out trying to get them in order from the library - if there's one thing I hate it's reading a series out of order!

It's interesting how much the same and yet how different the two mediums are. TVBill is very much the gentleman, polite and chivalrous, while BookBill is quite feral and definitely unhuman. TVEric I found to be a rather cliched Lestat-like character, but BookEric is a lot more interesting. Pam I love in both TV and book.

Any other True Blood fans out there?

 The latest NZ Gardener magazine popped up in my mailbox last week (I was lucky enough to get a subscription for Christmas). It's feeling very hello winter with stored spuds on the cover, and featuring tips on pruning and some recipes for home brewed booze.

 There are some recipes for kumara and Maori potatoes.

And a feature on chrysanthemums, quintessential autumn flowers.

On my reading table

 Oh library, I've been missing you. Most of the libraries around town are open again but not my local, which means I had to resort to actually buying magazines. The Mobile Library has been in the neighbourhood (this is a library in a bus - very cool and I'll see if I can get some photos when I go next weekend), but it is by nature small and rather heavily depleted at the moment.

 So a couple of weeks ago I went to Borders and fulfilled my craving. Country Living (British edition) is my absolute favourite magazine, I love its seasonality and I usually get the issue that corresponds to what season we are in here in the southern hemisphere. Unfortunately I couldn't do that in the shop, so I got the January issue (which was cheaper, I guess because it was about due to be pulled from the shelf). Winter will be here soon enough, I figured. I also got Country Gardens (US edition - spring), it doesn't matter quite so much what the season is with this one as they always have beautiful photos.

 As usual with Country Living, the most beautiful page is on the cover. I wish I could get my kitchen to be pretty and functional, unfortunately it tends to be just functional and completely messy.

 Bright ideas for dark days - I like the hyacinth bulbs in the tin pots, and the bird feeder in the terracotta pot. I think I'll make some feeders like that.

 Country Gardens has cute ideas for spring posies - my favourite is the ostrich egg vase in the lower left corner.

 And a primula auricula theatre - apparently this used to be the way to display your primroses! "...the tradition dates to the 16th century in France and Belgium. Legend has it that Huguenot weavers carried their beloved auriculas with them when they fled to England. By century's end, primrose pandemonium was almost as hysterical as 17th-century Tulipmania with prized specimens going for small fortunes."

Can't say I'm all that keen on primroses, but maybe if I had a darling little theatre like that to display them in. Guess I've got all winter to construct one!