Dust and Creativity

Until today I had considered the Yates Garden Guide to be the New Zealand Amateur Home Gardener's Bible.
But I pondered the fact that a seed company is putting out a book that tells you how to use their hybridised seeds...and you have to go back year after year after year to buy *their* seeds. Of course there's nothing wrong per se with them informing us....but I'm keen to save my own seeds and try heirloom varieties....so the Yates guide just might get dusty on the shelf.

One book that I'll defintely be borrowing from the library again is Jenny Allen's "Smart Permaculture Design". I savoured it for a couple of hours today.......Allen wants you to cultivate not only plants, but also creativity - she discusses this overtly and also uses the layout of her book, the interesting typefaces, the poetry and quotes which are scattered throughout to reinforce this message. It is a creative delight to read and the accompanying photography is a feast for the eyes. She's an Australian with a descriptive memorable style, writing about her garden; what she designed into her garden is truly inspirational. If mine turns out half as good as hers, I'll be delighted! If I take note of all the usefeul information she manages to cram into the pages in lists and diagrams and stories and tables, I'll have every chance to get there.