On those wintry days when it is not tempting to work outside, and when one has already studied the contents of gardening catalogs, it is necessary to find other methods of sating the natural gardening urge. This is when I turn to bedside books, and videos depicting gardens around the world. While the content of many of these were not produced with “Science based education” in mind, I feel that they more than make up for this with design ideas and the sheer enjoyment of seeing accomplishments of fellow gardeners from other countries and areas. When reading or watching these I feel as though I belong to a rather select club as I can identify with the trials and frustrations of fellow gardeners and when they succeed, I can revel in their successes all from the comfort of my living-room.
There are a plethora of gardening books to choose from, but rather than choosing yet another “How To” book on the art of growing, I choose those with a more philosophical bent – those where the author mulls over a concept or thought that has occurred. Here are some of my favorites:
“The Bedside Book of the Garden” by Dr. D.G. Hessayon. This is definitely a “pick up and put down” book, packed with history, folklore, myths on all sorts of topics – famous plantsmen, carpet bedding, bats, how to skeletonize leaves, how to grow your own loofah – to name but a few. This book is my great escape, and once I have opened it I am lost to the world. It is delightfully illustrated throughout.
The Gardener's Bed-Book by Richardson Wright (1887- 1961) is another such book, written by the one-time editor in Chief of House and Garden. It does not have quite as much about gardens and plants at the above book, perhaps more of the philosophy surrounding those who garden, but it is quite amusing in places.
In the Eye of the Garden by Mirabel Osler. Although based in Britain, Ms Osler's writings are universal and this little book is described as “a book of the delight of sharing a true gardener's eye” with its elegant prose and black-and-white illustrations.
The Country Woman's Year by Rosemary Verey. This is a month-by-month chronicle of anecdotal observations on gardening and county living by one of the all-time classic garden writers. Rosemary Verey's garden in the UK is frequently open to the public and is very popular with those visiting from the US. This book is described as “offering an oasis of taste and tranquility”.
Gardener's Latin, a Lexicon by Bill Neal. It is surprising how many Latin terms you can pick up by browsing through this little book. It includes not only the meanings of various Latin names, but also their origins, and the lore surrounding them.
I have watched many DVD's on gardening, but again, rather than concentrating on the “How to Grow” type my main recreational watching is just for the pure enjoyment of seeing beautiful gardens and flowers. The following are some of my favorites. The titles are self- explanatory but a word of warning: Make sure that the DVD being offered is formatted for region 1 (north America and Canada), many are produced for Region 3 and won't play in the USA unless you have some very fancy equipment. This is especially important if purchasing used copies. If you are antiquated enough to still own a VHS player, tapes of these productions can often be purchased for little more than the cost of shipping. These are all honest to goodness gardening documentaries, with nothing of the “reality show” about them.
Gardens of the World with Audrey Hepburn. 8 episodes on 3 discs showing some of the most beautiful gardens from all over the globe.
The Great Gardens of England 6 discs featuring 58 different gardens from throughout all different regions of England featuring numerous different styles and designs. This is a really beautifully produced set likely to make those of us who try gardening in the desert green with envy (even if we cannot get our gardens to look green).
Australia's Rose Gardens Can be watched on Amazon Prime if you subscribe to that, but is not formatted to play on home devices in the US.
The Secret Gardens of England. 1 disc featuring 16 different gardens
Wisely Through the Seasons. Wisley is the Royal Horticultural Research Facility in England, where horticultural apprentices learn their craft, and where many plants are submitted for trials by hybridizers. It is an older DVD and shows many of the techniques, some quite fascinating, that they used in all aspects of horticulture as well as the beautiful gardens, the National Apple Collection containing hundreds of cultivars, greenhouses, how they assess new plants, the herbarium, and pathology department. I cannot find anything comparable that has been produced in this country, but those gardeners that I have loaned it to in this country have all enjoyed it.