The garden in winter has it’s own brand of magic. It can be just as beautiful as any other season, although slightly more frosted.

I started paying more attention to my garden in winter when I made the pen pal acquaintance of the late Suzy Bales. After writing to her about one of her garden books, we started swapping emails. One day a package arrived from her containing a few of her books including The Garden in Winter: Plant for Beauty and Interest in the Quiet Season.

This book spoke to and still speaks to me. You can still find it on Amazon and eBay and other places that still sell used copies of Suzy’s books. Having Suzy as a pen pal for a while is something I will never forget. She is definitely a garden influencer.

Today I had another gift from a gardener moment as I did when Suzy mailed me her books. Sara from the American Daffodil Society mailed me a book. Now I actually told all of you recently about making Sara’s acquaintance by phone.

Sara is downsizing her garden library and she mailed me a book I can’t wait to dive into called The Unsung Season: Gardens and Gardeners in Winter by Sydney Eddison and Photographs by Karen Bussolini.

The inner flap of the dust jacket of this book says in part:

Written by one gardener who loves winter and photographed by another, The Unsung Season introduces us to a wonderful community of experts who share ideas about how to expand our gardens and our gardening delights.

Having initially perused the book there is even part of it devoted to the Philadelphia Flower Show!

I have also discovered a website by the photographer of this book! (But kindly note the photos I use are my own unless I indicate otherwise!) The author Sydney Eddison has been a frequent contributor to Fine Gardening Magazine as well as having written several gardening books. Mrs. Eddison has also just released a book of poetry according to an article I read today.

This book was such an unexpected delight and so generous of new friend Sara. I do have to differentiate because I have another friend Sara who is as beloved as a second mother to me who is also an amazing gardener with an equally big heart and generous spirit.

I don’t know what I do to deserve such amazing people in my life but I am truly grateful and blessed. And I will follow their example and pay it forward when I downsize my own gardening library some day.

Thank you to my new gardening friend for giving me a book from her library. It will be a treasured part of mine now.