The gardener's life

"For those who love the garden, it is not just about planting and growing, but about collecting garden-themed china, painting orchids and violets, visiting botanical gardens, reading and repairing rare horticultural books, competing in shows, and dreaming about the garden all winter long. In a book that celebrates the particular passion—perhaps 'obsession' is a more accurate term—of the gardener’s life, Laurence Sheehan (with Carol Sama Sheehan,Kathryn George Precourt, and photographer William Stites) presents a diverse array of treasures that will delight every garden lover. In this select society, everyone understands why a collection of colorful seed packets could grow to fill many rooms, why one species of plant could preoccupy a lifetime, and why those with concrete patios as well as acres of ranch land could share a vision. In the first section, 'Inspired Plantsmen,' The Gardener’s Life introduces a group of people whose passion focuses on the plants themselves—growers of herbs and roses from Connecticut to California who have spent lifetimes devoted to their favorite plants. 'Passionate Collectors' presents aficionados of garden books, garden watercolors, garden ornaments, a