The Book Report by Rebecca Traver - Our Online Bookshop Curator
“We might think we are nurturing our garden, but of course it’s our garden that is really nurturing us.” ~Jenny Uglow
“We learn from our gardens to deal with the most urgent question of the time: How much is enough?"
~Wendell Berry
“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.”
~Lao Tzu
There’s a jasmine plant curling up the rain-spout just outside of my office window. Within a few days I will see tendrils peeking over the windowsill, followed in short order by heavy clusters of flowers bearing sweet perfume. This makes me very happy.
If, like me, you are willingly and gratefully falling under the green spell of the season, I invite you to explore our section on the healing power of Nature.
My very favorite book on garden design from a soulful, energetic point of view is The Garden Awakening: Designs to Nurture Our Land and Ourselves by Mary Reynolds, the youngest woman to win a gold medal at the prestigious Chelsea Flower Show in England. She understands the meaning of sacred space and is gifted with the ability to share what she knows. Plus, the illustrations are both magical and informative - always a huge plus for me in a book like this.
The Green Witch: Your Complete Guide to the Natural Magic of Herbs, Flowers, Essential Oils, and More by Arin Murphy-Hiscock takes us into the realm of natural magic and healing through the plant and the mineral realms.
Entering Hekate's Garden: The Magick, Medicine & Mystery of Plant Spirit Witchcraft by Cyndi Brannen blends traditional methods of botanical and magical practice with the author’s personal approach, emphasizing her understanding of plant spirits as allies and guides.
In Plant Witchery: Discover the Sacred Language, Wisdom, and Magic of 200 Plants by Juliet Diaz we are invited to journey far beyond the basic medicinal and magical properties of plants, deep into Mother Earth's drumming heart. Drawn from ancestral practices passed down by generations of teachers, the lessons in this book will awaken your intimate connection with nature, your ancestors, your guides, and to your true self through the powerful magic of plants.
If you’d like to learn more about the roles of bees as essential beings in ecosystems the world over, you might want to take a look at The Lives of Bees: The Untold Story of the Honey Bee in the Wild by Thomas D. Seeley, A Honeybee Heart Has Five Openings: A Year of Keeping Bees by Helen Jukes, and The Beekeeper's Bible: Bees, Honey, Recipes & Other Home Uses by Richard Jones and Sharon Sweeney-Lynch.
Here are a few more noteworthy titles to help inspire and educate you about the restorative power and beauty of Nature.
The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative by Florence Williams
The Wild Remedy: How Nature Mends Us - A Diary by Emma Mitchell
The Curious Nature Guide: Explore the Natural Wonders All Around You by Clare Walker Leslie
The Nature Principle: Reconnecting with Life in a Virtual Age by Richard Louv
“We might think we are nurturing our garden, but of course it’s our garden that is really nurturing us.”
~Jenny Uglow
