Product Description

Take a stroll through the garden of a self-confessed hortimaniac. Gardening is Marie Harrison’s avocation, passion . . . some might say, obsession. In her personal, witty style (she refers to her husband as Amiable Spouse, or A.S. for short), Marie divulges her own tried-and-true ways of gardening along the coasts of the southeast United States.

Marie covers perennials, flowers grown from bulbs, herbs, shrubs and small trees, vines, edible flowers, and herbs for flower borders. A section of full-color photos captures these beautiful plants and flowers in all their vibrant glory. Charming pen-and-ink illustrations are sprinkled throughout the text.

Marie discusses the edible and medicinal properties of various plants (there’s even a quick recipe or two!), as well as coastal considerations such as salt tolerance; environmental issues such as pesticide use, beneficial insects, and exotic invasives; and gardening for birds and butterflies. She also offers her musings on the seasons in Florida and how she spends her time in the garden during each phase of the year. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener like Marie or a tentative beginner just starting out with a windowsill herb garden, this delightful book will make you appreciate the dirt under your fingernails.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #656076 in Books
• Published on: 2003-03
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 234 pages

About the Author
Marie Harrison is a Master Gardener and director of District I of the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs. She writes gardening columns for a number of newspapers and other publications and also teaches gardening at her local university and community college. Along with lecturing frequently at garden clubs and seminars, she often judges at flower shows. She was an English teacher in Mississippi and Florida for thirty years. She lives with her Amiable Spouse in the midst of her lovely garden near the Gulf Coast in Valparaiso, Florida.

Customer Reviews

Charming
"Gardening in the Coastal South" was a joy to read. It is packed with practical information for this part of the country and the pages are chock-full of southern charm. I have been devouring gardening books in preparation for a complete garden renovation after one of the most disagreeable Florida summers in history. This book will be very beneficial with all of the pointers and personal experiences Marie Harrison included. Harrison's obsession is definitely contagious and the pages are bursting down-home wisdom.

Carolinas not coastal south?
I bought this book thinking it was for my area as Wilmington NC is considered part of the coastal South as far as I know. The book focuses on Florida and right off the bat it shows a map of the author's definition of coastal South which doesn't include the Carolinas for the most part. I wish this had been stated in the PR for the book I would not have purchased it. So, although it's interesting I find myself reading it "with a grain of salt" because it doesn't really include my area.

...her passion for Gardening ignites like passion in others!
I have this book because I know this lady's passion for gardening! Even though I live outside the Zone 8, I find this book to be extremely useful for my Zone 7 garden. In building a new home, her book is a "book of choice" in giving information that will help me garden more successfully.

I loved Marie Harrison's story-telling style. I enjoyed the tales of her family and how these experiences influenced her outlook on gardening and life in general.

I give it a thumbs up!