Dogwood and Catnip: Living Tributes, Departed Pets We Have Loved and Lost [Paperback]

Marsha Olson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 18, 2003

Creative ideas for planting a living memorial in honor of a lost pet. Included is information on symbolic plants and flowers, planting ceremonial trees and grave markers, thematic garden accents, and informal ceremonies for dedicating your memory garden.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Marsha Olson, MA, is a grief counselor and has worked professionally in landscape and garden design. She lives in Lyons, Colorado, near Denver.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Fairview Press (April 18, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1577491335
• ISBN-13: 978-1577491330
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 7 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,732,449 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Wonderful Approach to Memorializing a Beloved Pet, August 11, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Dogwood and Catnip: Living Tributes, Departed Pets We Have Loved and Lost (Paperback)

Recovering from the loss of a beloved pet takes a lot of time and tears. Counselors in this field have always recognized that there are some special activities that can help the healing process. One of the most successful of these is the creation of a special garden of memory for a beloved deceased pet.
Dogwood & Catnip is a unique book that offers bereaving pet owners a new approach to creating a memorial. Its monochrome illustrations beautifully compliment the individual stories that comprise part of this book. They tell how each person was helped by planting a garden, tree, plant, or even a memorial stone in the yard.
This book offers an undertaking that would be a unique tribute, creating a beautiful and peaceful personal refuge, with an aura of peace and remembrance.
The layout includes many profound and pertinent quotations, in the margins. The book follows through on the author's previous publication, A Garden of Love and Healing (which was also favorably reviewed in our newsletter). It also features a section listing many plants, with explanations of their traditional unique symbolisms. This is a gentle guide for the novice gardener, as well as the experienced.
Going back to nature we can find beauties and healings we don't usually experience in our "normal" daily lives. A memorial garden or section can become a personal spiritual oasis - a place of serenity, reflection and special remembrance. Whether or not one has the time or ability to create a garden or just put in a single special plant, this book can help. As the author indicates, the psychological significance of greenery symbolizes a compassionate heart that is ready to bloom again. It is a welcoming back, and a reverence for life.
There are many ways to memorialize a beloved pet, and of course, the best memorial is always in one's heart. But the recommendations and love expressed in this publication are unique and wonderful. We recommend Dogwood and Catnip, and feel sure that it can fill an important part of your bookshelf.