GROWING WITH THE SEASONS
A Sharing of Insights into the Creative Aspects of Organic Gardening

      “Perhaps this book should have been more appropriately titled ‘Growing: A sharing of insights into the creative aspects of living.’ Frank and Vicky Giannangelo give the reader not only insights into organic gardening but also into coping with the world around us. Their backgrounds were not originally in gardening, but after they were married in 1986 they became interested in organic gardening, first in Arizona and later in New Mexico. In the Foreword they write that this is ‘the evolving story of our endeavors to bring about a planned harmony between ourselves, our world, and the people around us.’
            This book is a delight to read. It is divided into sections by season, with each season having a fitting epigraph. The chapter titles alone are intriguing: Lost in Anticipation, Life Scales, A Stricken World, or Stretching Out. These descriptions are an indication that you will learn not only about how to tend your garden but also your relationships. Their description of planning, planting and eventually walking a labyrinth as an ‘eternal journey’ is an inspiration. Even the black-and-white photographs by Vicky Giannangelo are charming: a garden with iris, catmint, a kitty and thyme, or a wonderful close-up of bees getting nectar from the center of a flower. The authors give us some useful tips on gardening but what I learned from the book is best stated in the Foreword. ‘In the end, the garden is an anchor that holds us fast in our place in the universe.’ I regret that there are no pictures of the authors in the book but I feel I would like to know them better. For additional insight, I checked out their web site. You will find at this site more wonderful color photographs of gardens and also the many animals they have rescued. I hope someday to be able to visit this interesting couple at ‘Giannangelo Farms Southwest’ in Ramah, New Mexico.
     
      —Joan Richards, Chicago Botanic Garden