Not only am I going to review this book, but I’m going to give it away!
Read on for details.
Garden-pedia book cover.
First a bit about the authors.
I don’t know Pamela Bennett but I love her career path. While in college studying to become a teacher she landed a summer job in a garden center in Springfield, Ohio. That changed everything! Working in the garden center made her re-think the rest of her life. She changed schools, changed majors and has been actively involved in horticulture ever since.
She now works in horticultural education in the Clark County Extension Office and both works in and teaches horticulture to eager students. She says; “I know have the best job in the world!” She’s also on her way to become a professor!
Horticulture will do that to you. It gets in your blood and there is no getting it out. And why would you ever want to? It’s the most wholesome job in the world.
The co-author of Garden-pedia is Maria Zampini, a fourth generation nurseryman.
I can tell you first hand that nobody in the world is more qualified to author a book like this other than Maria. Maria grew up in this business, was raised on the property of a full scale wholesale nursery owned and operated by her father James Zampini.
I’ve known Maria for what seems like forever. I went to work for her dad when I was 16 years old, so that would have been around 1971 I think. It was in her father’s nursery where I truly learned this business inside and out. I think I did about every job in that nursery and much of what I share with you folks today I learned there, in that nursery.
I also got to work with Maria’s grandfather a bit. He was up in age at the time but he was like a cutting making machine! Mostly he made tens of thousands of Hardwood Cuttings and I can still see him in that work room, clipping, cutting and tying cuttings into bundles.
Maria has a bachelor of science degree from Pennsylvania State University and is the president and owner of UpShoot LLC a boutique horticultural marketing firm.
She’s an extremely busy garden writer, very involved with the Garden Writers Association and to be perfectly honest? I can’t keep up with all that she has going on. She’s a busy lady.
About the book, Garden-pedia.
Garden-pedia is an A to Z Guide to Gardening Terms.
But really it’s much more than that. It’s a book that is both fun to read and extremely educational at the same time. It’s loaded with color photos to accompany many of the terms being described.
There are four things about this book that I really, really like . . .
- It’s easy read. It’s not a stuffy horticultural text book. The terms are described in down to earth language that make perfect sense to anybody reading the book. In other words, it’s written for home gardeners, not horticultural professors.
- It truly does have every gardening term imaginable. They are in alphabetical order and broken into chapters. Many of these terms you are unlikely to find in other gardening books, but they are terms that are tossed around on a daily basis in the trade. And that’s what makes it extremely useful. It will allow you to learn the language that folks in the industry speak.
- The terms are not only explained, but they are also accompanied with a very short story that puts the explanation of the terms in the correct context. Not an essay mind you, just a few lines or two or three short paragraphs that allow you to grasp the concept of the term and how it might apply to you and your garden at home.
- But what I like most of all is that each of these little stories is an easy to understand, easy to grasp lesson in gardening. You will learn something on every single page! So much so that I suggest you read this book just a few pages at at time, giving your brain time to digest and store away all of the little tidbits that you’ve absorbed.
Garden-pedia is a great book for anybody that likes to garden, I highly recommend it. You Can Grab a Copy on Amazon.com.
I am giving away one of the copies that I have. Here’s what you need to do:
- Using the form below, log in with Facebook or with your email address.
- Join our Gardening Email Newsletter list to complete your entry.
- To receive 10 EXTRA ENTRIES, click the “Bring Your Friends” link and share this giveaway on Facebook or Twitter. You can also share on Pinterest to earn ONE EXTRA ENTRY.
And the winner is… Ruth L.!
would like to be entered in the drawing for the plont o pedia
oops garden pedia
Thank you for the giveaways.
I am so grateful for all the information you have shared. Would love to get this book.
like it
Hi mike i left msgs on facebook and twitter but have no points? What box in center of what post do I click on?
Lisa,
You have to use the share box at the bottom of the post.
This sounds like an excellent gift for those who are just beginning to garden and I’m sure there are lots of us who will just simply enjoy the book who have been gardening for a long time. Thanks Mike !
Merry Christmas!
Wowsa, what a great opportunity to win an amazing book!! I shared on Facebook and sent an email to a friend of mine.. Crossing my fingers and toes! Hehehe
Hi Marlene, please friend me in Facebook. My name is Maria Helena Michalas. I like garden buddies!
Happy Christmas Mike & family. I am one of your UK subscribers so when you giveaway hard copy of anything, we miss out I guess its down to the excessive postage, understandable. Therefore would not be possible to an electronic version like your free notes. I did join & pay for some of your items that were made available.
Kind regards
Phil Cooper.
PS. Have a good & prosperous New Year.
Phil,
I truly appreciate having you as a subscriber and wish I knew the answer to the out of the country shipping problem, but when offer something for just a few dollars it’s just not possible to send it out of the states. We’ve made our backyard nursery products completely digital because of this issue, but for the small books, booklets etc. it’s just not feasible.
Mike, please enter me for this gardening book giveaway as well.
Love to read and learn from these two wonderful gardeners and authors.
Jane
I love gardening and reading gardening books! This would be a really nice book to add to my collection!
Thanks for the opportunity of winning this one!
Lisa
I’d love to get this book. I love gardening and learning from experienced gardeners, they are so generous passing on their years of knowledge.
It would be very nice to get this book since I like growing different exotic plants in pots and plant some of them in my parents garden to see if they will survive the Winter here in sweden. I cover them in time for the Winter, and some of the plants survive so it is very rewarding to see them blom the next summer…
Hi Mike,
I have shared Facebook, Twitter, and emailed a few non social media users who are to busy in their garden I suppose!
Thanks for the opportunity to get this, well what looks and sounds like a great book!
Thanks Jay.
Thanks Jay, I appreciate the support for what we do.
Merry Christmas to all!
Mike I would to thank you and those that help you put together all this information for us. I read and share the information from the pampleties I buy from you. I love watching your videos. So here’s to you all. MERRY CHRISTMAS
Thank you Donald!
I entered on facebook and twitter. Merry Christmas to you and your family…..Jesus is the reason for the season….
Thank you Debbie!
FB, Pintrest. Knowledge is POWER…
Shared on FB.
it is amazing how much information and how much I have learn from mikes web site. thanks mike
Form for either giveaway will not load.
on facebok
Don’t see a log in page for the book
I don’t either?!?!
This is an item that I have been looking for a long time.
Shared on Facebook
Facebook
This’d be perfect for me at my stage of gardening
Shared on Twitter
On facebook