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I treasure my hardcover edition of this gem of a book. Miss Lawrence is one of my all-time favorite garden writers, and her correspondence with Mr. Krippendorf is delightful to read, as are the descriptions of the "little bulbs".
"the Little Bulbs: A Tale of Two Gardens" was especially interesting to me because Mr. Krippendorf, who was Mrs. Lawrence's primary correspondent about her 'little bulbs', was from Cincinnati.
Mrs. Lawrence's writings made our visit to the Krippendorf Lodge and country property and woodlands (which now comprises part of the Milford, Ohio, site the Cincinnati Nature Center) come to life with her notes on Mr. Krippendorf's observations about his specimen bulbs , swards of galanthus and daffodils, and wildflower woods.
The descriptions are especially useful for we Ohio and Kentucky gardeners looking for information on bulb bloom times and culture for unusual and unknown, 'little bulbs'. And, of course, it goes without saying that Mrs. Lawrence's delightful observations are most useful for gardeners in the Southeast, as well.
A wonderful book, full of good writing and good information.
This is an absolutley delightful book, and it was the first of Elizabeth Lawrence's books that I read . She writes as a gardener and as loyal correspondant to her friend Mr. Krippendorf who lives in Ohio and grows tens of thousands of bulbs in contrast to her "few". They correspond for years regarding her small home garden in the Carolinas and his vast acreage, bloom dates , successes and heart felt losses. It is a beautiful snapshot and if you are a true gardener in your heart, you will be memerized by this beautiful little treasure. Also try her A Rock Garden in The South, and try the book of letters between her and Katherine S. White (editor of The New Yorker and wife of E.B. White)
Elizabeth Lawrence covers a staggering array of small bulbs in this book. She describes what she sees in her gardens in North Carolina throughout the year and shares letters from her friend Mr. Krippendorf in Ohio. It's amazing to get a real feel for Zonal differences. She has a very precise and scientific bent, but her writing is charming and very readable. The letters from Krippendorf were stunning in the vast numbers of bulbs he had planted (and in the fact that he could recall what they all were, which is triumph enough at the end of the day). Even in a more modest plot, these small bulbs can be a delight.
