Thursday, April 29, 2010

A Book of Roses and Grandmothers' Gardens

Did your grandmother garden? Mine did. She had a victory garden during the war and later she grew mostly flowers and few herbs but also tomatoes and radishes. Don't ask me how that particular combo came to be. By the time I knew her my grandmother lived in an apartment upstairs from a couple that also had a garden out back and they grew just about everything, including roses.If my sister and I were behaving ourselves out in the yard we would get a tasting tour of the garden which was especially fun when the strawberries were ripe. What I remember most though was the pride that accompanied growing the roses.
Years later my mother would attempt to grow roses but she never had the success my grandmother's landlady had. Mrs. Richardson had a super green thumb because her roses were spectacular. They came in all sizes and colors and were everywhere in her tiny yard. I don't believe she used pesticides because you would often find her hand picking Japanese beetles and other bugs from the leaves.
I found this book on one of my meandering travels the other day and was knocked over by the gorgeous pictures. It was published in 1936 and is packed with color photos on almost every page! It is also in fantastic condition inside though the outside shows a little wear and damage and I was leery at first.
When I bought the book I thought I might take it apart and sell the prints but I just can't. The binding is pretty tight though the front page is trying to escape from the cover....this is an awesome book for someone who really loves roses. If Mrs. Richardson was still around I would give it to her for Mother's Day....

I have listed the book in my shop here.

3 comments:

  1. Oh what a treat to find such a book! The photos are so vivid. =)

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  2. What a great find, the pictures are lovely. I wish I had that green thumb your grandmother's landlady had, I can't seem to get anything to grow but weeds.

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  3. I love old books! Especially ones on gardening or flowers! The pics would make great prints to frame...if you had the heart to tear them out of the book!

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Thanks for taking the time to comment ;-)