Books 7 & 8: People With Dirty Hands & From the Ground Up

I've read a few hundred pages of War and Peace, but I've been so distracted with The House that I'm having trouble spending time with it. So, I quickly re-read a couple of my favorite books about gardening.

People with Dirty Hands, by Robin Chotzinoff, is actually about gardeners rather than gardening. Chotzinoff writes little portraits of various gardeners she meets (and some people who are not necessarily gardeners, but who are involved with plants). There is a tomatophile, chili growers and roasters, rose lovers, urban gardeners, and a Louisiana witch doctor, among others.

It's fun and funny and kind of implies that that gardeners are supposed to be a little kookie.

From the Ground Up: The Story of a First Garden is by Amy Stewart. She tells of learning how to garden while living in Santa Cruz, California. Her climate is quite a bit different from mine, but some of her lessons definitely transfer to my yard: test the soil and amend it before you start planting, arrange plants so they receive the proper amount of light, and make peace with a garden that looks imperfect.

Stewart also provides a few recipes and specific pruning tips.

Both books also give some resources for ordering seeds and plants (though People is 14 years old).

I've been doing lots of looking at seed catalogs and plant websites and imagining my soon-to-be garden. I'm also trying to amass local info on when to plant different things, and what should be started inside first, and how much to water, and and...

My paint colors have been chosen for weeks, and I know what I want in my garden. Now all I need are the keys!
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