Description
Book SynopsisAutobiography of a Garden details how Patterson Webster, a neophyte gardener, moved from copying the ideas of other people, to learning from them, to striking out on her own. Beautifully photographed and full of inspirational ways of thinking about gardens and gardening, this unique memoir blends history, horticulture, and art.
Trade Review“Rendering the story of your own garden sufficiently interesting to engross others is a serious challenge, if only because the spirit of place is so essential to the story of any garden and so difficult to communicate to those who have not enjoyed the privilege of visiting, but Patterson Webster rises to it. If Autobiography of a Garden is a unique book, it is due in part to the uniqueness of Webster and her garden: Glen Villa in the Eastern Townships is sui generis. Not only is it off the beaten path, but it is also a highly personal space that she has shaped over nearly thirty years. This enriches the story enormously. Writing with a wonderful fluidity, Webster opens a personal portal for her reader with great generosity.” Alexander Reford, Jardins de Métis/Reford Gardens
"Unlike typical garden books, which are organized either chronologically or by garden section, Webster took a more creative approach, much like her gardening style. Although her first chapter, Getting Started, follows a traditional, chronological approach, the rest of the book is arranged thematically. Anyone can enjoy Autobiography of a Garden. Gardeners will be especially intrigued." The Sherbrooke Record
“As Webster proves so well, a garden is essentially an act of the human imagination, a threshold between nature and human nature.” Literary Review of Canada
