Lemon Verbena Lady's Book Review for Timber Press--Gardening for a Lifetime by Sydney Eddison

I have been struggling with planning what was going to happen in the garden this season.  The cold weather particularly did not give me a spark to do much.  I have always loved Sydney Eddison's writing and remembered that she had written a book about gardening at an older age called Gardening for a Lifetime from Timber Press.  Yes, I'm probably too young to be worried about this, but at the same time it is never too early to start.

Basically even before reading the book, I had started the process Mrs. Eddison went through by starting to clean out the house.  We still have a long way to go.  It is all a process.  Mrs. Eddison had begun to be overwhelmed by the garden and decided to start clearing the rooms of her home.  It helped her to focus better on what needed to be done in her garden.

Mrs. Eddison takes the reader into her life and journey of coming to grips with changes in her life (her beloved husband's death) and a beautiful garden that had become too much work.  You learn the history of her garden and how it was developed.  She also talks about two friends who go through changes in their lives and gardens and how they coped.  She gives tips for making choices about maintenance and suggestions of plants to make the garden easier to enjoy.

What I liked about this book is the Gleanings at the end of most chapters.  It lets you see the main points of each chapter and so you can refer to them when you need to in later times without reading the entire book.  This book has a lot of common sense help at a time when you may be overwhelmed by garden and life.  It is comforting to know that you aren't alone. With Mother's Day coming, I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is struggling with the day to day issues in the garden.  Take the journey with Mrs. Eddison.  I think you will enjoy it and it may help you to refocus your energy in your garden.