Hello! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! We had a small and quiet Christmas, and you know what? We loved it. We had presents, good food and watched the new Wonder Woman movie. The boys actually told me that this was one of the best Christmases, which is something to be said considering last year we spent the holidays in Switzerland and Amsterdam. But with everything happening this year, I am glad we were able to give them a beautiful and relaxing Christmas.

Here in Minnesota, winter is in full swing, and this week we had very cold weather. When the weather turns nasty, my mind goes on autopilot and starts daydreaming of spring and summer in the garden. It is rough being a gardener in the upper Midwest, but it is so worth it. And to keep my mind from dwelling on how long the winter will be and how I miss my garden, I turn to planning and reading. I can assure you that, since I moved to Minnesota five years ago, my gardening books collection has increased as I try to fill my time in winter. Every year I add a few, and this year is no exception. Today I am sharing three wonderful and beautiful books that any gardener would be thrilled to have.

Adventures in Eden by Carolyn Mullet (Dec 2020)

I first learn about professional garden designer Carolyn Mullet via her glorious Instagram account where she shares photographs of the garden tours she hosts. Sadly, I no longer have an IG account, but I now follow her via her website where you can learn all about the beautiful garden tours she hosts around the world. This December, Carolyn published a new book about the private gardens of Europe, and after reading it, I was ready to pack my bags and go traveling. Be prepared to be engrossed with this book as Carolyn takes us on a VIP journey to explore some of Europe’s breathtaking private gardens. From Spain to Scandinavia, Carolyn gives us a glimpse of these hidden paradises.

What I Loved:

• Stunning images— I am a visual person and appreciate beautiful photos.

• Gardens Descriptions— The book includes 50 gardens, all with descriptions and beautiful images. Each description notes the garden owners, the designer, what inspired the garden design, and stand out plants.

What I Did Not Like:

• No Historical Gardens— I was pretty surprised that the book focuses more on less historic private gardens. I was hoping to pull the curtain on those historical home gardens that are not open to the public. Instead the book focuses on more modern gardens, which are still beautiful. It was just unexpected.

The Rose: The History of the World's Favourite Flower Told Through 40 Extraordinary Roses by Brent Elliott (Aug 2020)

In The Rose, Dr. Brent Elliott, Historian at the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) take us on a historic journey of the beloved rose. The rose is considered the world’s favorite flower, and by showcasing 40 of the most popular and fascinating species and hybrids, Dr. Elliott shows us why. The book is arranged chronologically, from the first mention of the rose to its arrival in Europe and the rest of the world. This book is a must for those who love roses, as it provides details about varieties, how they were bred, and anecdotes surrounding them.

What I Loved:

• Amazing illustrations— The book includes over 30 beautiful illustrations that you will want to will probably want to frame. If that is the care, there is a boxed set that comes with the same illustration, but in fine art prints, which can be removed and framed.

• Detailed history— The book details the history of the layout of rose gardens and what inspired them.

What I Did Not Like:

• Font— the font on this book is extremely small, probably to keep the size of the book smaller, but yikes! Have a magnifying glass handy.

The Gardener’s Garden by Madison Cox/Toby Musgrave (Jan. 2020)

This beautiful book is the ultimate gardeners eye-candy book, especially if you are a enthusiast of garden design. The book is a compilations of gardens from around the globe, as well as a resource guide if garden design is something you are interested in, which I am. The compilation includes 250 gardens from around the world by the leading figures in garden design, landscaping and horticulture. You will find examples of almost every garden style and time period. Whether you are a professional or an amateur gardener, this book will certainly provide wonderful inspiration, as well as knowledge.

What I Loved:

• Compact format. This is the midi format, as the original book is much bigger.

• Beautiful photography. I appreciate photos in gardening book (you’d be surprised how many do not) and this book is very generous in that regards.

• Good variety of garden styles— I loved that the book includes a good mix of stunning formal garden styles, while also including equally beautiful yet more ordinary garden styles.

What I Did Not Like:

• The book cover material— I am being picky here but the cover material is almost cloth-like, which I can see getting dirty if you are not careful. I am very particular about the condition of my books, so this is important to me.

• I found it interesting that I did not see any Chinese style gardens. While not my favorite style, I want to learn more about them. Would have been nice to see included.

I hope you enjoyed these quick reviews of the books. If you have read any of them, let me know below what you thought about them! Have a great rest of the week!

You may find me joining some of these fun link-ups: In a Vase on Monday, Mosaic Monday, Friday Bliss, Home and Garden Thursday, Pink Saturday, Nature Notes, Dishing It & Digging It, Thankful Thursday, Grace at Home, Weekend Blog Hop