Synopses & Reviews
"Inspires, sustains, surprises, and consoles."--
National Geographic Traveler (for
River Time)
"The good stuff . . . Not only good history, but an engaging intellectual autobiography."--Sue Hubbell, New York Times Book Review (for Dangerous Birds)
Janet Lembke loves to garden. But when she moved into her urban home in Virginia, she only had one-eighth of an acre to work with: a small front yard and a small backyard. How she traded a postage-stamp lawn for an edible cornucopia is what this enchanting book is all about.
Lembke joyfully guides us on her gardening journey, in chapters called:
"Tomato Haven"
"The Grass Extermination Project"
"Tools of the Trade"
"How a Garden Grows"
"Herbs"
"Flowers"
"Vegetables"
"Outwitting the Gardener"
"Wooing the Green Man, Courting Dame Kind"
and "Garden Dreams"
From Grass to Garden is chock-full of tips and advice for gardeners with tiny plots, including what plants are compatible with others; garden paths and seating; what vegetables and plants work best in front versus backyards; and more. She offers everything a hopeful gardener needs to reap bounty for the kitchen table from what was once a small, pesky lawn.
Review
"Inspires, sustains, surprises, and consoles."--
National Geographic Traveler (for
River Time)
"The good stuff . . . Not only good history, but an engaging intellectual autobiography."--Sue Hubbell, New York Times Book Review (for Dangerous Birds)
Synopsis
Janet Lembke loves to garden. But when she moved into her urban home in Virginia, she only had an eighth of an acre to work with: a small front yard and a small back yard. How she traded a postage-stamp lawn for an edible and visual cornucopia is what this enchanting book is all about.
Lembke joyfully guides us on her gardening journey. From Grass to Gardens is chock-full of tips and advice for gardeners with tiny plots, including what plants are compatible with others; garden paths and seating; what vegetables, flowers, and plants work best in front versus back yards; and more. She offers everything a hopeful gardener needs to reap bounty for the kitchen table from what was once a small, pesky lawn. What's more, she brings her vast literary mindscape to her own landscape and shares her thoughts and observations, both brilliant and commonsensical, with her lucky readers.
About the Author
Janet Lembke is a writer and literary translator. Her books include
The Quality of Life: Living Well,
Dying Well;
Soup's On! 60 Hearty Soups You Can Stand Your Spoon In;
Tuscan Trees;
Despicable Species: On Cowbirds, Kudzu, Hornworms, and Other Scourges;
Shake Them 'Simmons Down;
Skinny Dipping;
Dangerous Birds: A Naturalist's Aviary;
Looking for Eagles: Reflections of a Classical Naturalist, and
River Time: Life on an American Frontier, among others. Her articles have appeared in
Audubon,
The New York Times,
Raleigh News & Observer,
Bird Watcher's Digest,
North American Review,
Oxford American, and
Sierra, among other publications. She lives in Staunton, Virginia.