An Eden of Sorts: The Natural History of My Feral Garden
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.44 (902 Votes) |
| Asin | : | 1581571720 |
| Format Type | : | paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 200 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 2015-05-15 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
An astute observer, Mitchell maintains an encyclopedic knowledge of the property: he knows the precise number and name of every species of grass and wildflower, and he monitors the habits of birds and woodland predators that call his home their home, too. From Booklist There’s nothing like a garden wedding to force a home owner to whip the place into shape. --Carol Haggas . Given a year to accomplish what he assumed would be a straightforward spruce up, Mitchell reveled in the opportunity to become reacquainted with the land that had changed during the 25 years he had owned it. With its borders of flowering trees and shrubs, inviting series of garden rooms, and charming wee cottages dotting the landscape, the Massachusetts garden of versatile writer Mitchell (The Rose Cafe,
"A welcome return to Scratch Flat" according to Corinne H. Smith. I must begin this review by saying that I've admired John Hanson Mitchell's work for years. This isn't the first of his books that I've read and reviewed. I've seen John at readings and conferences, and we've had a few quick chats in person and in letters.Here he's brought us back to a territory called "Scratch Flat." We first encountered this place in several of his previous books: Ceremonial Time: Fifteen thousand Years on One Square Mile and Living at the end of Time; and as a tangential reference in two more, Trespassing: An Inquiry Into the Private Owner
This is a paradoxical yet hopeful narrative of what can happen to a plot of land when it is properly managed. Full-color illustrations throughout. The story of how land can blossomliterallywith proper management.Twenty-five years ago Mitchell cut down a 1 1/2-acre stand of 75-year-old white pines and planted a garden in their place. AN EDEN OF SORTS is a history of the plants and animals that lived on the tract over the next decades, including two generations of half-wild children! What started out as a plot with no more that five or six flowering plants and shrubs, over the years grew into more than a thousand species of plants and animals inhabiting the property
John Hanson Mitchell is the author of several books, including A Field Guide to Your Own Backyard (Countryman) and Ceremonial Time, and the editor of the award-winning natural history/environmental journal Sanctuary, published by the Massachusetts Audubon Society. . He lives and gardens in Littleton