Wildflower Center magazine touts Lawn Gone!
Sometimes my publicist lets me know ahead of time that Lawn Gone! will have a mention in an upcoming publication. Other times it’s just a thrilling surprise. Like when I opened my copy of Wildflower (Summer 2013), the magazine of the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center…
…and spotted a recommendation for Lawn Gone! along with other staff picks from the garden’s gift shop on page 11. Woot! Thanks, Wildflower Center!
While I’m basking in the glow of their recommendation, let me give a little love back. This looks like a particularly interesting issue of Wildflower. One of my favorite garden writers, Scott Calhoun, has an article called “Design with Spines: Getting Hooked on Cacti in the Home Garden,” which I’m sure will be a good read (click to read it online). Despite my love for spiny agave, yucca, sotol, and now dyckia, I don’t know much about growing cacti, so I’ll be reading that with interest.
There’s also an article about getting children involved with nature, called “The Family Garden: Nature as Teacher,” by Julie Bawden-Davis, that I want to read, especially as it accompanies detailed information about the new children’s garden under construction at the Wildflower Center. I’ve been taking my kids to the Center and on greenbelt hikes around Austin (and in national parks around the country) since they were babies, and I believe unstructured outdoor time is essential for children’s health and development. So I’m glad to see the Wildflower Center creating an exploratory garden especially for children, where they don’t have to be told “no, don’t touch!”
Check out these articles online, and consider subscribing to Wildflower through a membership to the Wildflower Center. Wildflower is a national-interest magazine, with articles and updates about native-plant gardens all over the country.
All material © 2006-2013 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
Aha! A publicist! That explains a lot. Of course it helps to start with a fine product.
Yes, Ten Speed provided me with a publicist, who’s helped tremendously by getting a press release or the book itself out to editors around the country. I’m grateful for all her help! That said, I’ve done a good deal of publicity outreach myself, including at the Wildflower Center, where I asked the book buyer for the gift shop if he’d carry my book. He not only placed an order but graciously offered me a book-signing date this summer. And now they’ve recommended my book in their magazine — yay! —Pam
Yay! The recommendations just keep on flowing in and they are so well deserved.
Aw, thanks, Shirley. 🙂 —Pam
So cool…congrats!
Thanks, Scott, fabulous no-lawn gardener that you are. —Pam
What an exciting year – for you and everyone who buys your book and makes a garden! Congrats Pam!
Thanks so much, Heather! —Pam
I love cacti and know about growing them in a dry, cold climate but not in Austin. Scott and Lauren S. Ogden have a list of humidity-tolerant cacti in Plant-Driven Design, so I’ll start there. I think I’m also going to join the Austin Cactus and Succulent Society when I arrive in Austin (next week!).
Welcome to Austin, Astra! You’ll be joining a vibrant gardening community. —Pam
Congratulations, Pam! I saw it in the Wildflower Center newsletter and thought how appropriate it was. You are right; that is an especially interesting issue. SC is one of my favorite garden writers also.
I love his humor and his rich imagery. He knows how to breathe life into his subject, whether it’s chasing wildflowers or growing cactus. —Pam
I think you must be up on cloud nine with all the exposure. Well deserved. The Family Garden is an exciting new place for children. That means us too!
Yes, indeed. I’m sure your grandchildren will love exploring the new garden once it’s completed. —Pam
How cool! That book is definitely on my reading list – especially since I was just put in charge of the grounds committee of my kids’ new school! Step 1 is to work with the District to remove the blacktop, but then…. the possibilities are endless. I’m sure your book is an absolute treasure trove for a project like that! I will be sure to check it out! Congratulations on all the great reviews! 🙂
I’ve been in charge of the grounds committee at an elementary school. It’s a big job, but you have the opportunity to really affect the appearance of the school and even the mindset of the school community. Good luck with your projects! And thanks too for the good wishes regarding my book. —Pam
Pretty awesome to be mentioned when you are not expecting it (and even when you are) When you put out great content,Pam, as you do, I am sure you will get many more surprises.
Thanks so much, Linda. 🙂 —Pam