From A Colonial Garden: Ideas, Decorations, Recipes [Hardcover]

Susan Hight Rountree (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 21, 2004

Colonial Williamsburg's renowned gardens have always played a major role in the life of the town. Their beauty and bounty inspired From a Colonial Garden. The author harvests a wealth of clearly written and illustrated entertaining and decorating how-to's and recipes from these famous gardens. From a Colonial Garden, with its myriad of ideas, deserves a special place on the bookshelf of any host, hostess, or gardener

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Author Susan Hight Rountree’s latest work follows the best-seller tradition of her two earlier books, Christmas Decorations from Williamsburg and Entertaining Ideas from Williamsburg, published by The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.

Using the beauty and bounty of Colonial Williamsburg’s renowned gardens as inspiration, Rountree harvests a wealth of clearly written and illustrated entertaining and decorating how-tos and recipes appropriate for any season of the year.

From a Colonial Garden includes seasonal garden projects that suggest myriad ways to use flowers, fruits, herbs, and foliage, including a spring colonial garden for a mantel or a summer berry topiary. Autumn brings a harvest brunch to the table and a pumpkin snowman to delight Halloween trick-or-treaters. Celebrate the holidays with a selection of five themed special trees or create unusual wreaths, swags, and cones.

Rountree also explores new ways to use the tried-and-true holiday floral forms any time of the year. From a Colonial Garden offers year-round life to the traditional fruit cone, the very essence of a Williamsburg Christmas, with a fruit and berry garland or a summer centerpiece that brings fiery color to the table.

A special section on weddings provides ideas for summer and winter receptions, bridal showers and rehearsal dinners, and party favors to create the perfectly memorable event.

The volume features lush color photography by Tom Green, Colonial Williamsburg staff photographer and member of the Professional Photographers of America. Illustrations are by Elizabeth Hundley Babb, the skilled artist whose how-to drawings illustrated Rountree’s earlier books on Christmas decorations and entertaining ideas

The hardbound 224-page volume with 287 photographs, 24 color how-to illustrations and 11 black-and-white drawings is available for $24.Established in 1926, The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation is the not-for-profit educational institution that operates the restored eighteenth-century capital of Virginia. Known worldwide as the nation’s largest living history museum, Colonial Williamsburg recently was recognized as the Best Historic Site by readers of Southern Living magazine for the seventh straight year. Colonial Williamsburg is located 150 miles south of Washington, D.C., off Interstate 64.

From the Inside Flap

Colonial Williamsburg’s renowned gardens have always played a major role in the life of the town. Their beauty and bounty inspired Susan Hight Rountree’s latest book, From a Colonial Garden: Ideas, Decorations, Recipes. The author of two best sellers, Christmas Decorations from Williamsburg and Entertaining Ideas from Williamsburg, Mrs. Rountree harvests from the restored capital’s gardens a wealth of clearly written and illustrated entertaining and decorating how-tos and recipes.

Seasonal garden projects suggest many ways to use flowers, fruits, herbs, and foliage. Discover how easy it is to make a spring colonial garden for a mantel and a floral-decorated hoop, or a summer berry topiary. Learn how to prepare an Easter cake with strawberry and lemon filling, a Cheshire cheese hedgehog, or plantation rum punch. Fall brings a cornhusk wreath to your door, a harvest brunch to your table, and a pumpkin snowman to delight trick-or-treaters. You can celebrate the holidays with a special tree—five different themes are featured. Or, create unusual wreaths, swags, and cones.

New ways to use old forms any time of the year, such as topiaries, wreaths, cones, and candle adapters, are included. You will learn ways to plant a living or portable topiary or create a "faux" topiary with fresh and dried plant materials. A cranberry and kumquat garland gives a new look to the traditional fruit cone, the very essence of a Williamsburg Christmas. This same form can be used covered in the summer with a variety of peppers to bring fire to your table.

Use the special section on weddings with ideas on summer and winter receptions, a shower, a rehearsal dinner, bridal flowers, and favors to create the perfect event. You can make a gift to give anyone who appreciates gardens or gardening from the final section on gift suggestions. From a Colonial Garden, with its myriad of ideas, deserves a special place on any gardener’s bookshelf.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Colonial Williamsburg Foundation; 1st edition (March 21, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0879352124
• ISBN-13: 978-0879352127
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #776,741 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rates a place on the bookshelf, March 26, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: From A Colonial Garden: Ideas, Decorations, Recipes (Hardcover)

Colonial Williamsburg... sets a high standard for illustrated books on gardens, the Colonial kitchen, and the decorative arts in the occasional books it publishes.

The latest from CW's presses is Susan Hight Rountree's "From a Colonial Garden: Ideas, Decorations, Recipes" ($24.95). The first section introduces the reader to the formal but colorful gardens visitors can admire in the restored area -- but these gardens also serve a practical purpose as succeeding sections attest...

The book is strong on weddings, offering a winter reception at the Williamsburg Inn or a summer ceremony at a James River plantation. Ms. Rountree... also uses garden materials to make gifts, wreaths, table decorations, and other items throughout the year. The section on Christmas is especially useful, and readers will want to remember to consult the book in early November, before the holidays, for fresh ideas.

This not primarily a cookbook, but Ms. Rountree includes recipes for seasonal dishes to round out her sections... As with all CW publications, this new book upholds the benchmarks of taste and style readers have learned to expect, and will rate a place on the bookshelf of gardener, cook, and home decorator.

-Ann Lloyd Merriman, editor, commentary/books
"Between the Bookends," Richmond Times Dispatch

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining with a 'Colonial' Flair, March 15, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: From A Colonial Garden: Ideas, Decorations, Recipes (Hardcover)

The newest entertaining and decorating book from Colonial Williamsburg combines touches of elegance with moments of fun and fantasy.

The 212-page book, "From A Colonial Garden: Ideas, Decorations, Recipes" is divided into chapters that take you through the seasons and many special occasions such as weddings, bridal showers and rehearsal dinners. There are 287 color photos and 24 illustrations to guide you every step of the way.

Best of all, most of the projects are simple to create... For example, veggies such as colorful peppers are used to create a zesty-looking centerpiece on the nail-studded wooden cone that's typically covered with apples and sprigs of boxwood...

One of her easiest and sunniest table arrangements is perfect for a summer picnic or cookout. A partially hollowed-out watermelon serves as a container for a bouquet of zinnias, rudbeckia, coreopsis, apple mint and rosemary...

Rountree says the chapters on ideas from the spring garden are her favorite sections because they encourage you to use so many fresh flowers. "I'd like to see more people doing that," she says. "Fresh flowers are so many places these days--in the markets or you can grow your own."

A chapter on garnishes from the spring garden also features Rountree's garden pet--the Cheshire Cheese Hedgehog... English folklore says it's a sign of good luck when you find a hedgehog in your garden. The book features an easy cheese-based recipe for making the hedgehog. "I've had such fun with him, he'll be in every book," she says.

--Kathy Van Mullekom, Daily Press
Newport News, VA

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Welcome to Spring, March 4, 2004

By 

mary rose schlatter (williamsburg, va United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: From A Colonial Garden: Ideas, Decorations, Recipes (Hardcover)

How charmingly and seamlessly does Susan Hight Rountree translate 18th-century entertaining style into the 21st century! This delightful addition to her past best-sellers will be enjoyed by not only professional designers but talent-challenged amateurs like myself who need guidance as we try to duplicate the classic Williamsburg look. The "how-to" directions are clear and the beautiful illustrations are lavish, promising success with all the enticing projects--family celebrations, garden parties, weddings, gifts and holiday decorations. A wonderful complement to every decorating library!