GET GROWING!
IN SYNC WITH THE SEASONS
Image credit: The Garden Maker’s Book of Wonder by Allison Vallin Kostovick.
By LADYBUG
The cover, designed like an arts-and-crafts photo frame with a photograph of the author is just the first of the delights this book has in store for readers.
The words in her dedication are a clear indication of how Allison Vallin Kostovick sees life in gardening metaphors.
“Together we sowed the first seeds of this beautiful life together, and how wonderfully it has bloomed...”
The book is divided into sections titled A Time to Sow, A Time to Do, A Time to Reflect and A Time to Rest, with tips, information and recipes, for each season.
Among them, her favourite seasonal cues, which I absolutely love:
• When forsythia blooms, plant peas and onions, and prune roses.
• Plant perennials when maple trees begin to leaf out. When maple leaves unfurl, sow morning glories.
I’m probably never going to sow corn in my suburban yard, but “Plant corn when oak leaves are as big as a squirrel’s ears” brings a smile to my face.
She shares the story of the day her perspective of the natural world around her changed.
On a day that was “completely frustrating, aggravating, all the ‘a-tings’ kind of day.” Until she stumbled upon a kind of pinecone she hadn’t seen before, and then stopped to notice all the beauty around it, in the patch of winterberry, in the crystal formation in the frozen patch of a puddle.
And the story of how a patch of “enchanting tiny blue flowers” contained within it lessons in patience and optimism. “I am forever grateful for that forget-me-not... that’s been the secret to why I am still gardening all these years later.”
With pointers on germinating seeds, thinning seedlings, potting, pinching, companion planting, and more, this is a treasure trove for even those who view themselves as experienced gardeners. Because only experienced gardeners know they don’t know everything.
Looking for ways to use the flowers, fruits and vegetables from your garden in new and fun ways? You’ll find recipes for everything from lemon herb dressing and sweet viola tub soak to insect repellants and jewellery from ornamental seeds.
A time to do, a time to reflect and a time to rest will be upon us by and by, but for now, it’s time to sow.
A time to sow? you might well ask. “How? Have you looked outside?”
Well, Allison Vallin Kostovick, who gardens in Maine, also deals with soil that thaws in May. So, again, just how does one sow in April?
There’s a whole section on starting seeds indoors – including a great new method (new for me) on starting them in plastic milk or juice cartons. But for that, you’ll have to read The Garden Maker’s Book of Wonder!
The Garden Maker’s Book of Wonder by Allison Vallin Kostovick is published by Storey Publishing, $38.