Two of the things that I adore are reading and gardening. When you find a way to combine them as is done with Emily Dickinson’s Gardening Life you have a treasure.
So I must confess… this book was a present for someone very special to me that happens to adore Emily Dickinson. I accidentally had it sent to myself first. That will teach me to double-check those shipping addresses! Yet sometimes I feel sometimes things like this happen for a reason. I immediately fell in love with the book and decided that rather than return it I would find a place for it in my treasure of witch books that I adore. While not directly related to witchcraft I find that everyone creates their own paths and it’s important to pull from all different sources in life. This is one that I enjoyed.
I was lucky enough to visit Emily Dickinson’s house and take a tour a few years ago. You can read all about it and see pictures of it here: Lanterns in the Night. One of the things that absolutely grabbed my attention when I was there was this picture:
Can you see it? 🙂 Perhaps research for her writing as she was someone who was well-read in addition to her incredible writing talent. I saw other evidence of things that may have contributed to it on the tour and if you go digging you will find other things that suggest she may have been interested in it at the time. I should point out that this isn’t abnormal for several of the authors in New England around this time period. I always laugh when I’m on a tour and find another. If you enjoy a good hunt I have just given you a rabbit hole in which you can take quite the long dive if you wish.
The book is just a visual delight. It’s one of those books that’s great to sit on your porch with a nice cup of tea and look through it.
Emily loved gardening and that was apparent in her poetry. The book does a great job of introducing you to the plants that she had and connecting some of her writing to it for you as well.
I also love all the history and old photos. It’s a beautiful glimpse into her world.
If you enjoy her work and gardening you will treasure this book. It’s a great glimpse into New England gardening as well. I am familiar with a lot of plants that are in the book.
There also is a section in the back that lists all the plants and trees that they had in their garden and references to her writing where she was inspired by them or mentioned them. I also want to show you the Magnolia on the left! 🙂 That’s what we have in our front yard that I send you pictures of every Spring. Apparently, she had one that she loved as well at her house.
Have an amazingly magickal day!
Much Love and Many Blessings,
Jasmeine Moonsong