Henry Mitchell was to gardening what Izaak Walton was to fishing. This is a collection of the best of his long-running column for the Washington Post. Although he offered invaluable tips for novice as well as seasoned gardeners, at the heart of his essays were piquant observations: on keeping records; the role of trees in gardens (they don't belong there); how a gardener should weather the winter; on shrubs, bulbs, and fragrant flowers and about observation itself. Here's one example: Marigolds gain enormously in impact when used as sparingly as ultimatums. Henry Mitchell came to his subject with reverence, passion, humour and a contagious enthusiasm tempered only by his sober knowledge of human frailty. The Essential Earthman is for all who love gardening even those who only dream of doing it.
- ISBN10 0312866399
- ISBN13 9780312866396
- Publish Date 31 December 2000 (first published 10 June 2000)
- Publish Status Out of Print
- Out of Print 11 July 2001
- Publish Country US
- Imprint St Martin's Press
- Format Hardcover
- Pages 384
- Language English