Wild about wildflowers

Star Tribune staff

Last update: October 20, 2009 - 2:20 PM

The book fell open to one of my favorite wildflowers and told me what I had been wondering for years -- its name. Thimbleberry. The bushy plant with its showy white flowers and raspberry-like fruit lines the driveway to our family cottage in northern Wisconsin.

Betty Vos Hemstad's book is, as its title says, about "Wildflowers of the Boundary Waters" (Minnesota Historical Society Press, $22.95). It includes descriptions of 120 common wildflowers found in the Boundary Waters, plus a do-it-yourself guide in the back that describes 20 more. It's a poetic and practical guide for many wildflowers in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

The detailed photographs in the book are Vos Hemstad's, taken during her decades of summertime rambles along the Gunflint Trail. For the book, which is organized by season and color, each flower gets a close-up shot of its early, mid- and late season form. There's also a description of the flower that may touch on its history or medicinal use. And every entry hints at the joy these flowers have given Vos Hemstad over the years.

Of the thimbleberry, she says, "the berry slips on the tip of your finger, just like its namesake." I know what I'll be doing next time I see those red caps peeking out at me from behind the dark green leaves.

JOSEPHINE MARCOTTY

Gardening made easy

"Life has enough pressures without bringing them into the garden," says Alys Fowler. That theme drives Fowler and her new book "Garden Anywhere" (Chronicle Books, $24.95).

The British garden writer left a dream job making TV garden shows for the BBC to reconnect with making gardens in real life. In this book she preaches what she practices: Keep it simple, design with love and you can have a successful garden anywhere.

"Garden Anywhere" offers an overview of gardening, from design to cleanup. Some techniques, such as seed starting, will be familiar to experienced gardeners. Yet Fowler's run-through works as a happy refresher as well as a guide for new gardeners.

Other ideas break new ground, like dumpster diving for garden materials and the tips on dumpster diving "etiquette." Her section on the harvest focuses not on produce but on the seeds that can be collected for next year's garden.

Thanks to her easy conversational style, you can come away from "Garden Anywhere" relaxed and ready to enjoy the work of gardening as well as the results.

MAUREEN MCCARTHY

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