Book review
The Crown of the Year
by Jane Mossendew
Gardening with God in Eastertide and Summer
Burns & Oates
£11.99
This is Jane Mossendew's third book on the glorious links between God
and nature.
As in her earlier books Jane Mossendew covers a new and different
variety of plants. She also focuses on allotments, which are of keen
interest to many of our readers; inspiring one to look forward to planting
and the time for sowing seeds, (in spite of the very cold spring we
are going through this year.) Mention of Scarlet Runner Beans lifts
the heart on the fifth Sunday of Eastertide, with hints on how to make
a wigwam for them, as well as words on the symbolism of the beans climbing
upwards as they do, towards the light.
Did you know that Spaniards called tomatoes "Love Apples"?
They were believed to be an aphrodisiac; the plants also take up antibiotics
from the soil – there is no end to new, often intriguing information.
The dear little Heartsease if left to its own devices will produce tiny
heart shaped flowers through the whole year, so it has been called the
most faithful flower to grow on a grave.
Jane Mossendew is so generous with her information with poems and
even recipes, it somehow makes gardening an even more joyous experience.
I would recommend this book to gardeners to be read every year; there
is so much lore and meaning to be found in it and it makes gardening
deeply symbolic.
Rosie Findlater |
