Thursday, January 28, 2016

One of My Favorite Books of All Time!

As you can tell by my last few posts I'm getting a little itchy for spring. I'm excited to see what plants survived the winter and to put some more work into my new garden. 

However, I still have a long way to go until it's time. 

One of the things that will tide me over until I can get my fingers in the dirt is reading my gardening magazines and getting ideas. And, of course, browsing around online. 

I just renewed my subscription to Garden Gate Magazine for 2 more years and I can't wait until the next issue arrives!

But as it gets closer and closer to spring the thing that really gets me in the mood to get out there and play in the dirt is reading my favorite book. 

I have to tell you outright, this is not a sponsored post, nor is it an affiliated post. I just truly love this book. 

Out in the Garden - Growing a Beautiful Life
I found Dean Riddle's book quite by accident the first year I moved up to the country from New York City. I was browsing around in a little village called Phoenicia and wandered into a super cute home store called The Tender Land Home.  The book was on display and I snatched up a copy to give it a read. 

And I was completely and totally hooked. 

The author, at the time of writing, was splitting his time between an apartment in NYC and a small rental cottage near Phoenicia. Despite not owning the cottage he put in the most lovely garden that has been featured in many, many publications through the years. 

Dean Riddle's Garden
I was fortunate enough to visit Dean's garden during a garden tour that first summer I lived in the Catskills and I fell instantly in love. I could very easily spend every waking moment in that garden and never grow tired of it. 


Dean's book is about so much more than just gardening. It's very much about the connection between yourself and the environment around you. He has been living simply and mindfully for many years, and inspires me greatly to do the same. He embraces the beauty around him and the quiet simplicity of a country life. 

Dean Riddle's Garden When Dormant
Dean's garden is equally beautiful when at rest, which is the hallmark of a truly talented gardener. 

Dean Riddle's Garden When Flowering

When it's in flower the garden is beyond beautiful. It's a riot of color and texture - I could spend hours examining every plant, every combination of color and form. 

Dean Riddle's Garden
Dean's writing is beautiful and poetic and he weaves stories of his life among stories of his garden and humble home in the Catskills. 

I hope to be able to incorporate even a small portion of Dean's incredible garden style into my new garden. 

And I hope that you give Dean's book a read. 

And that when you turn that final page you put the book down with a sigh and the urge to read it all again from page one. 

I'm very much looking forward to my pre-spring ritual. 

What's yours?


53 comments:

  1. I just wrote the name of that book down and will see if I can find it on Amazon. I remember seeing an article about him at one time. My ritual is usually walking around the property here early in the morning with a cup of coffee to see what is coming up (that will be early May here). Thought I would pop in and say Hi-waiting for John to get ready to go for treatment. xo Diana

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    1. I linked to the book under the photo of it - they may have only used copies left but either way it's a good one! You'll have lots of time to read while sitting in the hospital with John, unfortunately....I've been keeping up with his treatments on Caring Bridge - such a long day in there for you both! Big hugs, Diana - xoxo

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  2. What beautiful gardens, full of color and vibrancy! I'm looking forward to spring to see if my white tulips come up again in the containers I layered them in.
    Brenda

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    1. I tried layering bulbs in a whiskey barrel years ago and didn't even get ONE bulb to sprout after our cold winters here!! I hope yours do well, Brenda - that's nice, something to look forward to! What zone are you in? Can you do roses and such in containers as well?

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  3. Thanks so much for the book recommendation! I'm always on the hunt for new books to read. :)

    Have an awesome day!
    karianne

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    1. If you like to garden you'll love that book, KariAnne!

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  4. Oh, my goodness, I must get this book! I found it on half.com for only 75 cents (plus shipping), so guess what I'm ordering?! Thanks for the suggestion. I can't wait until spring so I can get out in the dirt and play again!

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  5. Oh my, now I want that book. :)

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  6. It is easy to see why you love the book! Now I want it too. I see gardens like that and I want to go outside and change everything. Hurry spring!!

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    1. Ha ha I feel the same way!! I just adore his stick fence, also, and all the symmetrical garden beds lined with rocks. All that organic structure just speaks to me!!

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  7. It is easy to see why you love the book! Now I want it too. I see gardens like that and I want to go outside and change everything. Hurry spring!!

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  8. Thanks for this great review! I am going to see if my library has this book. I have always enjoyed reading books about gardening and this one looks like a winner. Probably my favorite book about gardening is "This Organic Live" written by Joan Dye Gussow. You might enjoy this one also!

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    1. Found it!! In my shopping cart on Amazon just waiting for the end of my no-spend month! Can't wait to read it - thanks for the suggestion, Vickie!

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  9. How fortunate that you got to tour his garden! It is just lovely, even as you said when at winter rest--ours looks best when it's covered with snow, I'm afraid. I'm always enthralled when I see the winter UK magazines and see their frost covered gardens. And we subscribed to Garden Gate for years when we were in the garden center business. Even now I still go through every page of new garden catalogues arriving in the mail, dreaming of what I could do, if only!

    I'm looking forward to seeing color out my front door again after seeing your pictures!

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    1. I didn't know you were in the garden center business - how nice!! The folks I bought the house from were from a garden center family - I lucked out with the gardens that were already in place here!

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  10. Such a great post....I love this garden and would love to read the book about it. I can't wait for spring either, and each day I can see a few more shoots growing in my garden!
    Happy weekend.
    Helen xox

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    1. No shoots coming up here just yet although I believe Weds we are supposed to hit 50 and rain....so who knows!! I hope you do read the book and enjoy it, Helen!

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  11. Beautiful! This is the kind of garden I dream of having but never quite manage in reality. :)

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    1. Same here...in reality the Japanese beetles eat holes in my leaves....the weeds are overwhelming....the deer eat the tops off the lilies before they bloom....etc. But that's all part of being a country gardener, am I right?

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  12. His fence reminds me of wattle fence...totally cute and a LOT of work! No spring rituals...too busy keeping animals and wood stove fed. Oh yeah...and me fed IF there's energy left over. Too many times I eat cereal or cheese and crackers for supper. The cheese is melted on the crackers so that counts as a hot meal, right?

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    1. Without a doubt! Hey, I'm fine with cereal or cheese and crackers for dinner when it's just me! Or nachos - I love nachos for dinner when I'm not cooking for anyone! It's healthy - it's got Salsa, which is pretty much like a vegetable, right? :)

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  13. Your lovely garden photos have me itching for spring too! I am not familiar with this book, but will look for it.

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    1. Spring seems such a long way away today with the snow and winds gusting around outside my window! I hope you enjoy the book - I know Amazon had it at one point, not sure if they still do....good luck!

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  14. The book sounds wonderful! I am going to try and find it at the library. I don't really have a spring ritual other than cleaning out the gardens. I leave all the leaves in for coverage because it is so cold in Upstate NY but it is a lot of work to clean. I am looking forward to cleaning this year to fit in all my new garden things. I found a lot of stuff at the end of summer last year.

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    1. What fun!! I just moved into my house last Spring and felt that I had so little time to spend in my garden what with all the unpacking, settling in, etc that comes with a big move. I can't wait to have time to really enjoy my garden this year!! Perhaps that's why I'm so anxious for spring!

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  15. I want to jump feet first into this post and play in the dirt!
    Gorgeous garden.

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    1. I feel the very same way!! I have a stack of seed catalogs next to me that will help keep me warm and inspired through this wicked cold spell coming our way!

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  16. Beautiful! I have several Texas gardening books that I couldn't live without. It's so nice to read and dream and plan. :)

    Thanks again for linking with TOHOT.

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    1. It's the only thing to get us through these seemingly never ending winters!

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  17. What a beautiful book-
    I am going to Amazon right now to order it!
    Thank you for joining our Thoughts of Home on Thursday party.

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    1. My pleasure! I wish you all luck with the new link up!! I hope you enjoy the book as much as I do - I am always sad when I get to the end and turn that last page....sigh!

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  18. Dean Riddle's garden looks so full and vibrant when in bloom--I was surprised to see how small it looked when it was out of season! I will have to order this book as it sounds lovely.that eat plants and shrubs I lived in NYC for many years and my little Brooklyn garden was a joy to me. Now I'm in Colorado and the unusual weather patterns and wild animals make gardening a challenge. I'm learning more about hardy perennials and native pants. Best fo luck with your garden this summer!

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    1. Do you follow 66SquareFeet blog? She's on my blogroll....hers was the very first blog I ever found and I bought her wonderful book as well, about everything she grew on her tiny Brooklyn terrace - absolutely talented woman in the garden and in the kitchen! As a former Brooklynite I'm sure you'd enjoy it!
      http://66squarefeet.blogspot.com/

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  19. Thank you for the suggestion. It is .01 on Amazon with 3.99 shipping. I look forward to more on your blog about Spring!

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    1. Not much spring on the mountain top this weekend, that's for sure! We're heading down to -18F tomorrow evening....yikes!! I can't wait until this serious cold spell is behind us and I can get outside and dream again! Thanks for visiting my little blog!! I love meeting new blog friends!

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  20. What a gorgeous garden! I know it had to be spectacular in person. Thanks for the tour!

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    1. Beyond spectacular, Lisa - that man just has such talent with putting things together. Every side of the house had more beautiful plantings than the next - he has such wonderful taste!

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  21. That's the kind of garden I want. Except a smaller version. Thanks for sharing this and I can't wait to order this book.

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    1. I truly hope you enjoy it as much as I do! His garden is just dreamy....I wish I could hire him to come rip mine out and start from scratch!! :)

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  22. That's a beautiful garden. I've never heard of that book, but I will look for it. I love gardens.

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    1. His garden is incredible. I would be so happy to just wander around for hours with a glass of wine - heaven!

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  23. That garden is gorgeous! My black thumb would never allow that to happen in our yard. ha Thanks for sharing at Your Inspired Design!

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    1. Well even your black thumb can learn a thing or two from a fabulous gardener like Dean! I know my semi-green thumb sure did!! :)

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  24. Oh, what a lovely garden he created. That was my dream for retirement, but I didn't count on drought and water restrictions. I am hoping El Nino brings more rain so I can actually water this summer.

    Thanks for Sharing Your Cup!

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    1. Would a rain barrel be any help to you? I'm considering getting one just so I don't have to rely on my well water - it makes me nervous using too much well water for my garden!

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  25. I too am itching for spring! I get Conuntry Garden and love it, but haven't seen a Garden Gate magazine in a few years. I need to look for it. Oh my, I love his garden! Going to order the book tonight. Thanks for sharing with SYC.
    hugs,
    Jann

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    1. I hadn't seen them for a while either but they sent me a subscription invite which of course I jumped on right away!! I hope you love the book as much as I do, Jann!

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  26. Spring can't get here quick enough. It has been a very icy winter with very little snow here in Alaska. Last year I planted quite a few rose bushes and smaller perennials with flowering foliage. It will be interesting to see what has survived our harsh winter.

    If you didn't know, we now have a group board for pinning one photo from each person that joins us at Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop. We would love to have you follow and enjoy the pins too. Here is the direct link: https://www.pinterest.com/reinventedco/thursday-favorite-things-blog-hop-link-party/

    Thank you for sharing with us at Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop

    Olivia- Co-hostess
    Reinvented Collection

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    1. How exciting to live in Alaska - on my bucket list to visit for sure!! My dad spent years working on the Pipeline when I was a little girl and I have always wanted to go visit! Not sure I'd be ready to call Alaska my home - your gardening season must be way shorter than ours, even!! Checking out the Pinterest board - thanks for letting me know!!

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  27. Loved this and will be featuring you at SYC later today.
    hugs,
    Jann

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    1. That's so exciting, Jann, thanks a million!! Can't wait to be part of the party!! :)

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