Duane Campbell

Duane Campbell, a syndicated garden columnist, presents the reader with a delightful compilation of 72 essays, roughly ordered by month and the yearly gardening cycle. He starts in January with resolutions, moves to spring planting, summer flowers and fall vegetable harvest. In between we learn about how garden stores and catalogs rip us off by charging exorbitant prices for things we can buy for pennies or make ourselves from junk; who to leave in charge of our plants while we're on vacation; and how to prepare a clay pot. And did I mention the plants? He has essays on bulbs, brassicas (a.k.a cabbages), edible flowers, vegetables, water plants, succulents, and so much more.

But what made this a fun read is Campbell's voice. This is not a reference book (although it has a handy three-page index of all the plants, tools and techniques mentioned.) It's a labor of love—a memoir of sorts—distilling "what I learned from screwing up," and telling the tales in a funny, self-deprecating manner. The reader learns as much about Campbell as about gardening—he's cheap, practical and has a wicked sense of humor. I laughed at his take on composting (leave it alone), wiped away a tear at his elegy to Bill (I also have a garden cat), and wanted to box his ears at the wicked joke he played on Jane (now I know why she is a "one-time friend.") As an amateur gardener, I learned some new things and had fun doing it. I'd recommend this book for anyone with a love of the soil and the things that grow in it—newly converted or experienced hand—it's a fun, informative read.… (más)