The Story Garden

Book excerpt: Grow stories and cultivate memories with a Story Garden. This charming book of lovely tales is about the magic of self-discovery, memory, and human connections transmitted through botany. The stories are supplemented with simple plant propagation how-tos for the plants that connect to the memories. Start a rosebush from the rose in your wedding bouquet, remember Grandma’s hollyhock from a cutting of the plant by her clothesline, enjoy onions in your garden descending from a gift of an onion at a B&B where you spent a week on a romantic holiday, or plant a balsam fir at the end of the driveway to remind you of Christmas. Johanna Buchert Smith has worked as an editor for several years, both online and in print. She shares her family’s love of gardening, and has extensive experience with foraging. She lives in Salt Lake City, Utah. Ellen Sheppard Buchert obtained her bachelor’s degree for Integrated Studies in botany and writing. Her art has been shown all over the state of Utah, and in Ontario, Canada. She has illustrated three previous gardening books for Gibbs Smith: 75 Exceptional Herbs, 75 Remarkable Fruits, and 75 Exciting Vegetables. She lives in Provo, Utah.