But I do hope to visit the small villages and find those little gardens that show the love of their gardener. I look forward to feasting on the unexpected beauty of Zoes vignettes. Plus. One of my favorite things is reading about and learning about new flowers plants and trees. As a youngster, books were so important to me, as they are now. Candy is good, but chocolate is better, Theres nothing quite like a Hersheys Kiss, Ill take a Snickers bar over a lollipop any day, You make me feel happy when Im feeling low. I LOVED Pippi Longstocking and Heidi especiallythey were always doing the things that other people didnt think were a very good idea (like running around outside in the grass with the goats and other animals), but in the end those were the Best Things to be Doing. The dark horse. I think that something about having an adventure and being independent were the things that attracted me. It made me appreciate all types of books! Such a delight this book is! As a child, I loved Magic Eye books in which there was a very specific color palette and pattern on each page but hidden within the pattern was the general outline of a picture. A fabulously bountiful inspiration to grow more varieties of flowers when the gardening season begins. Im still a dreamer as an adult. And the chores and growing their own food captivated me!!! Zoes book looks wonderful, she has an incredible eye for colour. I just spent the last year of my life fighting cancer and while medicine saved my life, a realized dream to farm flowers saved my spirit. As a child growing up, I loved perusing through National Geographic magazines and looking at all the amazing nature photography. I love books and reading so much that I became a librarian and have been for 20+ years. The stories are full of creatures, nature and good always wins. My favorite book as a child was Boxcar Children. One of them was especially dear to my heart which is called Basket of Flowers. And the sun shines through the windowpane. I love finding the originals ones in thrift stores and even at the book stores still. Full of kindness and life lifting lessons. Thank you! I am so drawn to it. It influenced me to learn about and honor other times, other cultures, other stories and the enduring human desire to surround yourself with beauty. Its from cutting she got from Government house in Russell, its supper hardy so if you ever want a cutting just say. Im always attracted to any floral book with lots of pictures so I can envision where I would like to start my next garden. Books are wonderful. I was the youngest of five children and my older sister would often read to me at night. I read whatever I could get my hands on, it was an escape to different lives and worlds. I still love putting the pieces together and identifying the problem (diagnosis) as an adult. The magic and love of it has stuck with me. It might be the thing to make me pause, slow down and savor. I loved reading any book about a different place or culture, I always loved learned about how other people live. The siblings were creative, caring, and close with one another. Lettuce and tomatoes, cucumbers and onions, All mixed together with a dressing of your choice, Mmmmm, I can hear my tummy rumbling already, It gives you the nutrients that you need to thrive, Its full of flavor, and crunch, and zest. Amongst my favorites ~ all of Beatrix Potters books. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Inspiring stories, profiles & advice from 45 flower growers from around the world, STAY IN THE LOOP ON ALL THE EXCITING HAPPENINGS HERE ON THE FARM, Join the Floret newsletter and stay in the loop on all the exciting happenings here on the farm. I am so excited that copies are finally available for us here in the states. A seek and find book, glorious flowers and photographs, what more could anyone possibly want! I grow a few flowers, but they seem to be an afterthought, not a statement. This intriguing book transported me into the secret world of gardens and nature. I loved those adventurous stories and the magic that happened (cue my later obsession with Harry Potter), but they also presented real facts and history in a way that was so beautiful and interesting. I could not put it down. Eventually, my Dad handed me an adult book and said here, I think youll like this. I loved staying up late into the night reading The Boxcar Children, A to Z Mysteries, and The Magic Treehouse. I would devour a book, save -save-save my little allowance to buy the next one, and then consume it as quickly as the last, oftentimes under the covers, late at night, with a flashlight. I loved any story about fairies as a child, and this has continued to influence my creative practice, as I love to add a little whimsy to all my paintings and drawings! Thanks for this interactive book. Copyright 2022 Xipixi | Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions, Free shipping worldwide for purchases above $120, Copyright 2022 Xipixi | Privacy Policy |. It helped me picture the story and allowed for better reading. For me it symbolized gazing into something small and creating a world. The depictions of family, farm, hard work, and the simplicity provided by those values was captivating and really spoke to me. Im a veterinarian now. Growing up, I loved the illustrated books of fairy tales and faraway places. Top rhymes for Alexis. I loved how they were written. I have learned a lot from observing these examples over the years, both in placement and color combinations. But my garden is a destination and an adventure. I loved Annes independent and adventurous spirit! READ MORE: Four golden rules to help parents save money in 2023, from budgeting tricks to managing income. When I was a child my mom would take us to the library and let us pick out any books we wanted. I suppose my interest in discovering clues and figuring out who did it carried through to my life as an adult because I eventually became a medical detective, an epidemiologist! I also loved Little House on the PrairieI loved the strength of the family and how accepting, kind and generous they were to everyone. Zes book is beautiful and I cant wait to see it in person! The book has truly shaped us by implanting in our family that same desire to make the world more beautiful. As an adult I read psychological thrillers so not much has changed! My favorite book was a little book called, A Childs Garden of Verse, it was a collection of beautiful poems. As a child I would walk to the library for my grandmother who lived with us. Thanks for putting beauty into the world! I read everything I could get my hands on, our local library just wasnt big enough:). I was home-schooled from grade 3 and the way through high school so I was assigned many different books by my mom. I also loved fiction stories with strong female leads. My favorite books as a child were The Little Lost Kitten and The Mystery in the Pirate Oak. I have always been interested in drawing and painting, so I remember these pictures and their subtlety to this day. It was a childrens addition and it had bright beautiful illustrations of flowers and creatures that literally popped up in a very 1970s way! How they have shaped me as an adult is that I continue to pursue to know Him and love Him and follow His ways. I still have some of them. Her book looks like an artists dream! Any book that allowed me to escape into a different world where family was enjoyable. A workmate was encouraging me to change as he felt I was missing out on something very important in my life. Comments. They were always set in nature, with just enough pictures. As a child, one Christmas my parents bought me a set of a dozen books. I was so sad to realize they would be too much for me. No other books have made me feel quite that way. Thank you for sharing them, along with your interview introducing Zoe, her mum and dad. The same professor directed me to the most lyrical phrasing I know in literature: A green thought in a green shade from Renaissance poet Andrew Marvell in his marvel-lous poem The Garden. I read so many to my children as they grew. Oh my!! Im going to need to buy a bigger bookshelf for my flower books! Where the sidewalk Ends was a great warning about adulthood- where to draw the line. Thanks for the interview and this opportunity! Today I still love the book-to-screen adaptations, but I always read the book first, and almost always think the book does it better! I loved poetry books and landscape photography books. I loved any book that would take me along a process of learning; make your own whatever book. My school library had a lot of old books (it was an older school) so the language was a bit different, more formal, and Ive found that it has largely impacted the way I speak. Now I have a small but robust vegetable garden, fruit trees, and many flowers. I do battle with aphids, still havent solved my fungus riddle, and to my chagrin have not been able to save all of the characters in my kingdom. Who doesnt love that???? I loved the Series of Unfortunate Events books as a kid. Moomin a whimsical little character from Finland is my all time favourite kids book. Maybe Ill retire when Im 80! The books I loved most as a child were the Little House on the Prairie series. I am a identical twin and there was a set of twin bears in the book (Flora and Dora) and I remember loving to see how each bear had their own interests and styles but in the end all loved eachothers company. My bookshelf contains treasures about gardening, sourdough and flowers, and I would LOVE to add Lost and Found to my collection! People helping others, like a man who couldnt walk receiving a cane someone carved for him out of love, or children who put secret gifts on an elderly womans porch to make her day, made my heart sing. As a child the chronicles of Narnia were favorite of mine. Now that Im grown up, I have my own garden full of veggies and flowers along with an apple orchard and berry field. As a child and an adult I am not a big reader but I love beautiful picture books. While she was at her signing her baby daddy, Fetty Wap, came to congratulate her, and these two shared a few words after months of not seeing one another. I once read that its better to believe in the impossible and probable than probable and impossible. I loved Katy and the Big Snow, Mike Mulligan and The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton. My daughter loves seek & find books, this would be wonderful to look through together. Lovely! These books inspired me to keep reading. Maybe it was because father was born in the Netherlands or maybe because when I stared reading her book, we were similar in age. Wasnt much of a readern though, because I was more likely to be found outside on my many adventures! I mainly stuck with the Judy Bloom books as a girl, but now I enjoy pretty much anything. Can you tell us more about that experience and if you have any upcoming workshops people in your area might be able to attend? I hadnt thought of that book in many years (I am now 65) and was awash with emotions! I loved Nancy Drew. Whether that be through our event work, local bouquets, workshops, or now our book. At first, I was reading lots of WWII fiction based on true stories and real people. Basil E. Frankwiler, for instance. My dad influenced me to be a constant reader, always carrying a book with me for that few minutes of waiting time that I can fill with a good tale. They used things from a dump to furnish it. Or youll be sorry you missed out on all the fun! Its in my top 10 favorite books (childhood AND adult). I have always loved and shared with my granddaughter all the books by Jill Barklem, The Brambly Hedge Series. How grateful I am to have access to so much information and expertise of others! My mother would read them aloud to us on car trips and the story of adventure and redemption will always be one of my favorites. I still enjoy those types of books today. I loved reading about peoples lives and learning from them as a child. It was the strength of that momma rabbit. They were cute books when I was young but now I appreciate the way they lived and what they said. The photographs and stories really opened up my mind and made me realize there is so much to learn and explore. Trying to navigate that world now! I needed her fresh eyes on it as we made the final adjustments. Food is big in my class right now. Such a beautiful book! I read them to my daughter and still read them to myself. These are treasured tomes that are still on my bookshelves. When I was younger, my favorite books were fantasy stories. It the sense of wonder it instilled in me that I still remember. We are staying at our friends hillside property (fortunate to have minimal damage to her world renowned garden from cyclone Gabrielle) overlooking Wanuii beach for our last week before we head home to coastal B.C. Thank you for your support! Im not sure why but I made my Mom read it often . Yes! Catsup, mustard, mayonnaise, and relish, My parents are so proud of me, they should just strut, 4. My favorite book as a child was called A Childs Garden of Fairy Tales my little eyes searched and re-looked at all the beautiful And Zoe, your book looks so amazing and lovely! From the moment Fern ran out the door to fight injustice I knew that childrens books could change the world- And now I am a school librarian!