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| Book | Searching... East Regional Library | 635 Ett | Searching... Unknown |
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Summary
Summary
It's nearly impossible for gardeners to resist the allure of heirloom plants. Their names alone sound inviting--Flanders Purple kale, Golden Marconi sweet peppers, Moon & Stars watermelons, Turk's Turban squash, Scarlet Emperor running beans, and Jefferson plums--and many growers claim that their taste is unsurpassed. Beyond the classic appeal, however, lies the far more important issue of biodiversity. Unless these unique seeds are grown and saved, they will not only be forgotten, but lost forever. Based on the extensive seed catalogs of Thomas Etty, the popular heirloom seedsman, Heirloom Plants includes information on almost 500 exciting cultivars to be grown and harvested, along with detailed profiles and cultivation tips for each plant. In addition to edibles, the book also has chapters on antique herbs and flowers, from Cup and Saucer vines to Sweet William carnations to Empress of India nasturtiums. Trowel and book in hand, let your motto be, "Growing the past, saving the future."
Author Notes
Thomas Etty dealt in seeds in the nineteenth century and is the namesake behind the heirloom seed company Thomas Etty Esq., created and run by dedicated seedsman and great-great-grandson to Etty himself, Ray Warner. Today the company dispenses seeds and expertise to home growers keen to keep heirloom varieties alive.
Lorraine Harrison has a master's degree in garden history and a sizeable garden to cultivate her collection. She writes for the gardening quarterly Hortus and has authored a number of books on horticulture, including Latin for Gardeners.
Reviews (2)
Publisher's Weekly Review
Based on the catalogs of Etty, a 19th century seed merchant, and the modern-day experience of garden writer Harrison (Latin for Gardeners), this book offers a detailed and comprehensive exploration of the value of preserving heirloom plant varieties and keeping good "seed lines" robust. (An heirloom or "heritage" plant is one that has been open-pollinated and spread by nature for more than 50 years.) The premise of the book is that the quality of food and flowers is directly informed by the caliber of the seed. Observing that "so much of what gardeners do is about the future," the book issues a "clarion call" to devoted gardeners to prevent the extinction of choice specimens and keep pure lines in the game. It includes an abundance of classic botanical drawings, quaint historical tidbits, and general how-to horticultural guidance. This encyclopedic delineation of "directories" of vegetable, fruit, herbs, and flowers offers practical help to the gardener who's interested in preserving heirloom cultivars and turning a green-thumb hobby into an all-out mission. Color illus. (Apr.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
This is an interesting contrast to Marie Iannotti's excellent The Beginner's Guide to Growing Heirloom Vegetables (2012) more utterly charming in its overall design, illustrations, and sidebars than Iannotti's book; far more inclusive of plant varieties; and, regrettably, far less useful on the how-tos of growing and harvesting heirlooms, as well as isolating certain heirlooms from cross-pollination with other plants of their kind. Thomas Etty is the alter ego of Ray Warner, who founded the seed company of the same name in 1999. Thus, seed purchases out of the book might conveniently dovetail with Warner's company; yet the authors generously provide dozens of other names of heirloom-seed sellers in the U.S. and Canada, with Web addresses. And their book offers nice surprises, among them an heirloom caper (with seed-storing and -planting suggestions), seasonal growing and cultivation tips, an illustrated selection of garden cutting tools, and lists of organizations (with contact info) that promote the use of heirloom plants. A charmer.--Moores, Alan Copyright 2016 Booklist
Table of Contents
| Growing the Past, Saving the Future | p. 6 |
| Keeping the Tradition Alive | p. 8 |
| What is a Heritage Variety | p. 10 |
| Why Grow Heritage Plants | p. 12 |
| Heritage Plants & the Law | p. 14 |
| Mr. Etty's Esteemed Seed Directory | p. 18 |
| Vegetable Listings, Allium-Cucurbita | p. 28 |
| Feature: useful Tools | p. 70 |
| Vegetable Listings, Cyanara-Scorzonera | p. 72 |
| Feature: Seed Saving | p. 92 |
| Vegetable Listings, Solanum-Zea | p. 94 |
| Notes on the Cultivation of Esculent Vegetables-Spring Months | p. 112 |
| The Fruit Directory | p. 120 |
| Fruit Listings, Cucmis-Malus | p. 122 |
| Feature: Training Fruit Tress | p. 134 |
| Fruit Listing, Mespilus-Prunus | p. 136 |
| Feature: Cutting Tools | p. 144 |
| Fruit Listings, Pyrus-Vitus | p. 146 |
| Notes on the Cultivation of Esculent Vegetables-Summer Months | p. 152 |
| The Herb Directory | p. 160 |
| Herb Listings, Alchemilla Mollis-Mentha Suavolens | p. 162 |
| Feature: The Shakers & Their Seeds | p. 172 |
| Herb Listings, Monarda Didyma-Valeriana Officinalis | p. 174 |
| Notes on the Cultivation of Esculent Vegetables-Fall Months | p. 182 |
| The Flower Directory | p. 188 |
| Flower Listings, Agrstemma Githago-Ipomoea Tricolor | p. 190 |
| Feature: The Victory Garden & DIG for Victory Campaigns | p. 196 |
| Flower Listings, Lathyrus Odotatus-Nicotiana | p. 198 |
| Feature: Companion Planting | p. 202 |
| Flower Listings Nicotiana Alata-Viola Odorata | p. 204 |
| Notes on the Cultivation of Esculent Vegetables-Winter Months | p. 208 |
| Glossary | p. 212 |
| Seed Suppliers & Useful Organizations | p. 214 |
| Bibliography | p. 218 |
| Index & Acknowledgements | p. 220 |