The 3,000 Mile Garden: An Exchange of Letters on Gardening, Food, and the Good Life

Rating:
Summary: Two self-smitten garden-philes find each other.
Review: After reading this book, I have a) a somewhat revived interest in gardening (with some new planting ideas); 2) a deep aversion to ever having to read/watch anything by Mr.Phillips, who is completely self-absorbed with his own knowledge; 3) bemused speculations about What Might Have Been, vis a vis what seemed an almost flirtatious beginning between the two, which then subsided once Land found herself a guy [after that, copious references to children and mates--before, nothing]! An interesting read for gardeners, but not a great one--this book's a borrower, not a buyer (sorry, amazon.com)..

Rating:
Summary: Gardeners are very interesting people!
Review: Having seen the PBS series based on this book, I was very anxious to actually read the book. I wasn'tdisappointed. Meeting the challenge of one's own ecosystem and making a garden work is interesting reading. This book doubles that interest by going back and forth between two completely different eco- systems and two completely different gardeners. Roger Phillips is in charge of a very public garden in the center of London and enjoys not only working with others but also conversing with visitors that are a part of his daily routine. Leslie Land gets very upset one morning when a strange woman wanders into her garden to admire and comment on it. This is her private domain and she considers the woman to be a rude trespasser. Even Roger finds that difficult to believe. As their friendship develops, however, they rely more and more on the advice they receive from each other and, as a novice gardener myself, I found myself combining their expertise to benefit my own garden.Very interesting reading.

Rating:
Summary: An Enchanting Correspondence
Review: The 3,OOO Mile Garden is a pure delight. While full of useful gardening information, interesting recipes, unusual plants and vegetables, it is in no way dry or pedantic. It is instead a lively and spirited correspondence between two very unique gardeners- their gardens, their countries and their lives.