A Guided Discovery of Gardening: Knowledge, Creativity and Joy Unearthed

For some, gardening is a mysterious activity involving muck, unfathomable know-how and physical labor. To others, it is a gateway to creativity, well-being and magic. Julia Atkinson-Dunn knows what it is to stand on both sides of this fence and has channeled her discovery of gardening into a book to aid and inspire others in their own.A Guided Discovery of Gardening is a comprehensive partner in creating a garden, arranged to sweep beginner and progressing gardeners through informative basics to fascinating insights laid bare through Julia's casual, friendly and often personal writing. From introductions to plant types and taking cuttings to valuable tips for home buyers and the curation of seasonally responsive planting. Particularly relevant to temperate regions around the world including the US and Canada, rich doses of handy knowledge are intermingled with reflective essays and visual visits to some of her favourite New Zealand gardens, as well as her own."Treat this book as your trusted friend. A place you can return to time and again for positive reinforcement as you embark on your own journey of discovering the beautiful rewards found in creating a garden, just as I have." Julia Atkinson-Dunn   TABLE OF CONTENTS 8 My discovery of gardening Section one - Beginner guides 14 Intro 20 Plant types 26 Garden equipment 34 Botanical plant names 42 Pollination 48 a visit to: Flaxmere garden 58 Collecting from seed 62 Growing from seed 70 Restocking your garden beds 76 Garden centre shopping 80 Putting your garden to bed 88 Structure in the garden 96 Watering in dry spells Section two - Tips & tricks 102 Intro 108 Starting a garden 116 Valuable advice for your first home 122 Mistakes I made as a new gardener 128 A visit to: No. 11 138 Gardening tips from the wise 142 Garden visits 146 Finding your community 150 Photographing your garden 102 Tips & tricks Section three - Planting 160 Intro 166 Climate-resilient gardening 174 The New Perennial Movement 180 A visit to: Fisherman's Bay 192 Cut and come again 196 Trees and your garden 202 Privacy and fences 206 food or flowers? 214 Mix up your flower shapes 222 Umbellifers 230 Eager seeders 238 Part-shade plants 246 a visit to: the blue house 258 Bedding plants 266 Bold-bloomed perennials 272 Hardy annuals 280 Flowers and fragrance 284 Knowing your narcissi 290 Blossom Section four - The enchanting garden 296 Intro 302 Your garden, your way 308 houseplants 312 Garden friends 318 Tuning into the seasons 324 A visit to: Gilroy Nurseries 336 the promise of buds 342 The language of plants 346 The sentimental garden 352 My garden forgives me 356 The garden is a refuge 360 A visit to: My garden 378 Index 380 Thank you   "Julia is a talented writer, clever with a camera, and her flower arrangements have a simple spontaneity which are easy to follow. The plants she has chosen to be in this book create an ethereal airiness in gardens. Julia's little tips on growing from seed will be treasured by all who are interested in beginning a new garden or revamping an older one, at whatever stage in life. The summaries on each of her 12 favourite plants show a deep and natural understanding of the plant world." --Penny Zino, Flaxmere Garden (NZGT 6-star Garden of International Significance) on Petal Power "It's a book of two halves, beginning with a good digestible advice on types of plants, tools you'll need, plant care and design principles. But it's mostly given over to celebrating her 12 favourite plants which are largely whimsical such as cosmos, sweet peas and snapdragons. It has lovely photographs and rounds out with a guide to picking and arranging, and has recommendations for other resources. " --NZ House and Garden on Petal Power   On moving into the house of her dreams in her mid-30s, designer, artist and writer Julia Atkinson-Dunn stared wide-eyed at the clean slate of her boring backyard with a bubbling excitement that felt foreign. Her passion for beautiful spaces had only ever been held for interiors, or so she thought. Over six years she clawed forward with dirt under her nails and a toppling pile of gardening books by her bed, pursuing a vision that simply seemed to reveal itself as she went. The flower beds ebbed, flowed and expanded with her experimentation, buoyed by her new gardening friends and backstopped by her constantly gathered experience. Julia lives with her husband in Christchurch, New Zealand from where she has authored and photographed Petal Power and Flowers for Friends, maintaining an ongoing conversation with her fellow keen gardeners via her Instagram, newsletter and column. She works closely with the garden community as a speaker and host at festivals and events, advocating the magic of gardening to her peers. Her garden has opened further doors aiding her art practice concentrated on mixed media botanical still lifes and painted landscapes.   Koa Press Pub Date: February 6, 2024 1.6" H x 9.1" L x 6.9" W 384 Pages Paperback