“Just living is not enough,” said the butterfly, “one must have sunshine, freedom and a little flower.” Hans Christian Andersen wrote that many years ago in his book The Complete Fairy Tales.
I have always liked that passage. It has appeal and panache. Add a flower and a room sparkles, a yard glows, a smile widens.
I hasten to add that there is something profound about working with one’s hands in warm soil. Such toil makes a good project worth the effort, especially so in a garden. I never had a passion for gardening in my younger years, but now that I’ve grayed in the temples I have come to appreciate the beauty of a rose, the magnificence of a daisy and the majesty of lilies in the field. Lilacs carry with them the perfume of heaven.
If you’re like me, you appreciate good gardening insight. The gardening collection from Cynthiana native Karen Angelucci fills the bill nicely. The Lexington resident has her name on four really fine books about gardening: Across Grandma’s Garden, Grimy Grubby Gardening, Secrets of a Kentucky Gardener and Secrets of Tennessee Gardening.
According to author insight, “Across Grandma’s Garden (co-authored by Lauren McDuffie and illustrated by Seth McDuffie) tells the story of a young girl who possesses a love for and ever-growing knowledge of gardening. From trees, flowers and bugs to animals, fruits and vegetables, this story’s rhyming words will increase children’s gardening vocabularies while they fall in love with nature and all of its offerings.
“Based on [Angelucci’s] childhood experiences in the garden with her own grandmother, the story playfully and whimsically introduces early readers to the enchanted world of gardening and the timeless family bonds that can form while digging in the dirt with someone you love, and who loves you back.”
In Grimy, Grubby Gardening, another book for children, kids learn about the the joy of being close to nature, planting seeds, and seeing a plant burst through the soil and grow with a nurturing hand. That seems a miracle and is pure magic. I’ll have a copy of each book in my library for my grandchildren, and I recommend you get copies for yours, too.
Regarding Angelucci’s nonfiction books on gardening for Kentucky and Tennessee residents, they are practical, easy-to-follow tomes filled with tips and advice on gardening and landscaping.
The aspect I like best about Angelucci’s style is that her books are resplendent with anecdotes, folklore, snippets of poetry and bits of wacky insight. She is right up-front: to have a beautiful garden you have to work at it, but with the work comes joy, fulfillment and a nurturing spirt. So much so, that I recall the words of Rudyard Kipling: “Gardens are not made by singing ‘Oh, how beautiful,’ and sitting in the shade.” I’d bet a bachelor button that Karen Angelucci concurs.
You can find out more about her books, her gardening tips and her many beautification efforts by visiting www.karenangelucci.com. Her books are available at Amazon.com.
Donald Then, a novelist and experienced editor and journalist, is NKyTribune’s literary editor. He primarily reviews books by Kentucky authors or that have a Kentucky setting. Reach him at author@djamesthen.com Visit his website at www.djamesthen.com.