Customer Reviews

Mrs. Greenthumbs: How I Turned a Boring Yard into a Glorious Garden and How You Can, Too

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I bought this book as a last minute gift for my best friend, a nursery owner, fully expecting her to send it back to me after she finished reading it, as she usually does ( as thrifty as Mrs. Greenthumbs!). It is now circulating around the garden club members in Prince George, British Columbia. Her rave reviews prompted me to buy my own copy. I can see why it never got back to Vancouver. This book has made me less anxious about my gardens and more at peace about my failures. Gardening has become sexy!

For anyone who is thinking about putting in a garden, yet intimidated everytime they walk into a nursery, this is the book for you. Not really a how-to book, but more of a witty, down to earth overview of gardening as a whole with plenty of help hints and advice. I've read this book over and over and I still find it both funny and inspiring. Should be required reading for everyone new to gardening.

This is a charming and delightful book, as enjoyable a read for the novice (who will appreciate the practical tips) as for the experienced gardener (who will shake their head knowingly in agreement).

Danz is a very funny writer, and I've reread this book just for the pleasure of such sections as translating DayLily Catalogue Language (basically, "red" = orange, "yellow" = orange, "orange" = bright orange, and "red with a yellow throat" = orange-from-more-than-two feet away).

She seems quite a lusty lady as well, and proud of her married status (she claims that as a married woman, she has a rough sense of what 6-8 inches means and thus doesn't need a ruler to plant bulbs).

Very recommended.

Note: a 3 star ranking from me is actually pretty good; I reserve 4 stars for tremendously good works, and 5 only for the rare few that are or ought to be classic; unfortunately most books published are 2 or less.

If you want good looking gardens/landscapes but don't want to spend all your time tending, digging and chasing deer, this book is for you. Written in a month by month format, Danz writes about the typical tasks for each month and offers tips on how to make them easier. There are lists of fool-proof plants, how and when to plant and prune, plus lots of hints on setting up a garden (there is more about garden design in her other book). You won't find garden lay-outs or landscaping plans which I admit I was looking for when I bought this book. But I've ended up using just about every tip in this book - my favorite being the "Old Newspaper Trick" - and though I'll never be a die-hard gardener, they've helped make the whole process almost fun.

As a rule people don't usually laugh a lot about gardening. However I would defy anyone to get the end of the the first page of this book without giggling if not guffawing. Cassandra is a talented and engaging writer who manages to impart excellent advice without pomposity or pretense. I would recommend this book to anyone, even if like me, you haven't made it to owning a garden. It certainly makes you want to - if only for the Mai Tais and machetes! (You have to read it....)

I bought this book in 1984 and refer to it all the time! When things fail in my garden or if I have a question about some new addition, she helps me through. I found it particularly reassuring that she was also disappointed with the results of her perennials the first year, because I was ready to give up. And her humor is great!!!

I read this book over four years ago and still smile as I recall witty comments that inspire my gardening every year. Ms. Danz keeps gardening in perspective with her light-hearted advice learned by her own well-documented trial and error. The reader gains confidence in his/her own ability as the author painstakingly but playfully describes her successes and failures for our benefit

This is a "best of kind" in my book. Not a reference book, although it has a lot of useful tips and ideas. It's a month-by-month journey through the gardener's year that I re-read every winter for inspiration. It's like having a knowledgeable, witty big sister talk to you about gardening. What can I say; it made me a gardener

Funny, witty and packed with useful information without being preachy. I first bought this book in the early 1990's when I came out and had never heard of Mrs Greenthumbs. I wore out that first copy and bought a second. I have since given it as gifts and passed around my own copy more times than I can count. Mrs Danz gives practical advice in a down home comfortable way with out being too scientific. The month by month book format works well too. A must own for my gardening book shelf.

I am a relative newcomer to gardening and this book has helpful tips. It is particularly useful if you want to garden in the style of Gertrude Jeykll. I never saw "Mrs. Greenthumbs" on television nor heard her on the radio. She may have been very funny in these appearances, but I didn't feel like it translated to the page very well. Nevertheless, Cassandra Danz died three years ago and this book is part of her legacy, about which she should be proud.