So this contest closed a couple of days ago, and I’m finally getting around to announcing a winner. Sorry to keep you in suspense.
And I’m still not going to name names (skip to the end if you’re impatient!)… because I wanted to say a couple of things about the entries. 76 of you entered, telling me why you needed a copy of Home Outside by Julie Moir Messervy.
Seems like we all face similar issues in our gardens. Many of us are overwhelmed. “I really want to transform [my garden], but knowing where to start is really hard,” says Abby.
Like Lisa, who wrote, “right now all I see are the jobs that need to be done…” some of us see our gardens not as pleasurable but as guilt-inducing sources of anxiety. Yikes!
And, like Michelle, who wrote, “I’d like something more interesting but I don’t know what,” we’d all like some inspiration, please.
Finally, we all just like a good, weighty garden book with luscious photos. As Jim puts it, “I need this book because I don’t have nearly enough gardening books.” Ha!
But I had to choose just one winner, and with the help of randomizer.org, I chose Jenn S. Here’s what she had to say:
“I’m a beginning gardener with a large lot. I really need to do something more to spruce up the place, but I’m feeling totally lost. I’ve put in hours and hours of work, but my garden is lack luster and I am criticised by my neighbors. Help!”
Can we all agree that Jenn needs this book? (Criticized by her neighbours? What the hell! Don’t you just want to tell them where to stuff it?) Jenn, I’ll email you for your address.
There you have it. I’ll leave you with the words from one last entrant that had me giggling.
There once was a lady in Texas,
Suffocating in the weeds of her “ex’es.”
Her soul’s soil is depleted –
Loamy inspiration is what’s needed –
A lush book has the nutrients in excess!
-Stemme Fatale
Jenn S. says
OH MY GOSH! I can’t believe it. I can’t tell you how happy this makes me.
Thank you so much!
-Jenn
germi says
Congrats to Jenn!
I just love a winner…
And congrats to you, Andrea, for conducting such a fun contest! I really enjoyed reading all the comments – people got way into it, didn’t they?
Super cool…
xoxo!
Karen says
Well, I hope Jenn’s neighbors feel bad later when they see what a great effort she is making in her garden, no matter what they think of the result. Honestly!
Jenn W says
CRITICIZED BY HER NEIGHBORS?
Oh, you poor girl. Wish I lived nearby, you could point to my yard for them to sneer at. (I’m renting, and am stuck with what I’ve got. Sigh)
Don’t know what the book says, but start small – pick an area on view, make a little bed, start building your style there.
Take the lessons you learn and make/makeover the next little bed. Over the seasons, you will find you’ll have your yard the way you like it.
But don’t try to do it all at once, let areas go while you figure it all out, and damn the torpedoes neighbors!