Dirt Therapy

I usually read gardening books in the winter time. They tend to recharge my enthusiasm during the "down time" from the gardening season and get me excited for the coming spring. This year has been an exception and I have been reading quite a few books lately. For one thing, gardening books seem to be coming back on the scene after a long dull period. Back in the 1990s, the publishing market was over-saturated with books on the subject and it has taken some time to reignite that interest.  Since I am a librarian, I keep up with the trade publications (like "Publisher's Weekly" and "Library Journal") and I catch reviews of titles that might otherwise sneak by me. I also review books and often get offered copies of upcoming titles before they are published. Here are some books that I really enjoyed and would recommend. Some were published this year and others have been out for a few years. This is not the entire list so I will do a "Part 2" ...

The lilies are spectacular this year (with the exception of those annoying white flies that leave the powdery residue). "Caravan" - 7 feet tall and gorgeous color     "Scheherazade" - another 7 feet tall lily with loads of blooms   Tiger Lily Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy

"Stargazer" lily - one of the best. This lily always blooms faithfully and it is mostly in shade. I used to grow it in a pot but transplanted it years ago to the ground. It now grows in our little vegetable garden. Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy