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Breath From Elsewhere Musings On Gardens
Mirabel Osler Manufacturer: Trafalgar Square ProductGroup: Book Binding: Hardcover  General
| Gardening & Horticulture
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
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ASIN: 0747530378 |
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"The charm of gardening is that as everything is forever on the move, you can change and alter things as you go along.... Whatever nourishes your impulses should be your launching pad," writes Mirabel Osler, underlining her enthusiasm for "vicarious gardening," an approach she encourages both the novice and the experienced gardener to consider when thinking about their own patches, in her new book, A Breath from Elsewhere.Offering her wise, witty, and exceedingly insightful views on gardening, Osler (A Gentle Plea for Chaos) winds her way down the garden path, pausing to address the beginners--those individuals tempted, yet still hesitant--and continuing with folks "who have already launched themselves into the unknown region but have not yet found their bearings." The final stop is for those nearing the end of their gardening lives, "for widows and widowers, partners and lovers, who may be struggling to keep the garden going but who can't release themselves from it without being overwhelmed by guilt." With such chapter headings as "There Are No Right Ways to Make a Garden," and "Surfing the Flower Beds," greenhorn gardeners will find comfort as well as inspiration from Osler's candid discussions, while "Dead-Heading the Guilt" allows seasoned gardeners to let go, move on, and make a garden of their own. After all, "by jumping in the deep end rather than treading water, it is possible to do something radical."
Osler's argument--to break the golden rules, follow your instincts, and create the garden that you desire--is made ever stronger by her personal approach, pointed humor, and skillful storytelling, effectively drawing the reader further down the path towards the garden as refuge--a place perfectly suited for "inspiration or freedom, for discovery or surrender." --Stefanie Hargreaves
Customer Reviews:
Getting on with life...........2000-05-29
Ms. Osler lives and gardens in England, so her observations are not particularly applicable for most gardeners in the states. However, her book is not meant to be a "how to" book. It is filled with general observations gardeners everywhere can relate to.
Ms. Osler wrote "A Gentle Plea for Chaos" about a garden she built with her husband, who apparently died before that book was published as she dedicated it to him. "Breath" is about her life after his death. In this book, Ms. Osler describes how she settled into a new house and garden and a new life. Although it's ostensibly a gardening book, it could be viewed as a book about getting on with your life when you're on your own.
Ms Osler's books are autobiographical, gentle, and kindly.
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