About My New Book Project

During a lunchtime conversation with my friend, author, and ecologist Janisse Ray, she suggested something like this: "You should write a book that pulls together all your garden experience and translates it, straightforwardly and simply, for people who dream of gardening but think they cannot. A book that solves a problem sells."

At first, my mind raced through dozens of objections. But that reasons-this-will-fail mindset is one I hate—when someone proposes an idea and others immediately list all the reasons it won't work. When someone tells me, "You can't do it that way," my response is, "What? You mean the way I'm doing it?" Then, I keep right on until it's done.

When I went to bed that night,  I remembered an event I'd done recently for Master Gardeners at USC Hilton Head. The room was packed with hundreds of folks, most new to the South. As I fielded questions on stage, someone mentioned bringing truckloads of peonies to Hilton Head. The lights dimmed, and my colorful, expansive garden photos filled the wall behind me. I told stories, they laughed, and I offered lessons, all while thinking about those doomed peonies.

Then, I found myself saying, "I grew up right here. In the ruins of abused soil, abused people, and little minds. I ran away. New people coming into this state made it possible for me to come home. I want you all to bring your ideas and your garden dreams. But I want you to build on what I know about our soil, climate, pests, and plants so that your gardens and dreams of southern gardens thrive."

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All the objections got drowned out by snores. At 5 a.m., I jumped out of bed and started typing an outline. Tom kept my coffee cup full, and by mid-afternoon, I had a solid framework for the book.

This book, tentatively titled 'Secrets of Southern Landscapes and Gardens,’ is basically a light-duty textbook. But it's not just for newcomers to the South. We have a new generation of Gen Z's who grew up here but don't have the agricultural, garden connection I grew up with. Some of those youngsters work with me. They want home-grown, healthy food and soulful connections to nature, and they want to learn in straightforward, plainly spoken lessons.

The chapters of this book will address simple things like understanding Southern climate, soils, fertility, pruning, and pests. But y'all know I can't keep things impersonal. Those basic lessons get infused with stories of my successes and failures. There will also be chapters on fun stuff like design, night gardens, special collections, and dealing with labor in the South.

I’d like to involve you, Sunday PlantPeople readers, in the process. I tend to get teacherly and write too much, so I plan to ask for your input over the next few months.

Every other week or so, I'll post excerpts or ideas about this book. There’s no schedule yet, no marketing plan, not much more than this idea, and several test chapters. Your involvement will be crucial in shaping this book into something truly useful and engaging for all aspiring Southern gardeners.

Sunday substack readers, are you up for being a part of this

?