I'm pretty sure that Margery Fish and I would have thoroughly enjoyed sitting down to chat over a cup of coffee. Probably our conversation would have lasted only five minutes or so before we both jumped up to scuttle over to the garden. I just finished reading her book, We Made a Garden, and I highly recommend it. Margery is gone from this earth now but she and her husband gardened in England for many years starting in 1939. And amazingly enough her East Lambrook Manor Gardens are still privately owned and available to tour.
I'm still a novice when it comes to gardening so I can't say that I understood much about the specific plants she kept name dropping in Latin, but her writing style is conversational and enjoyable. By the end of the book I wanted to slap the sin out of her husband though. I suppose it was how things were in those days but frankly, his in your face domineering was getting on my nerves! After he passed away she was able to add plants to the garden he had forbade and make changes of which he would surely not have approved. Good for you Margery, you go girl!
Oh, I almost forgot to mention my favorite quote from the book: "When I think of it now I wonder how I had the hardihood to attempt such an ambitious scheme." I'll have to remember that one :)
I have that one, but I'm not sure if I've read it. If I did it would have been a long time ago. Thanks for the suggestion, I'll have to get it out and read it.
Posted by: Linda | January 07, 2010 at 08:03 PM
Great!
Posted by: Goji | January 09, 2010 at 08:22 AM
It sounds like a great book!! :)
Posted by: Kristin | January 09, 2010 at 07:11 PM
It's -15 degrees here this morning. I can't wait to get out into the garden! Well... maybe I will wait for Spring.
Sandy
Posted by: Sandy | January 10, 2010 at 07:45 AM
You make this book sound wonderful and I've made note of it. Luv the word "hardihood", don't you? Would you please give Margery's husband a little slap from me?
donna
Posted by: donna | January 13, 2010 at 04:49 AM