An A-to-Z compilation of traditional gardening skills and heirloom plants, nostalgically illustrated with wood block art.
Modern life is a cornucopia of technological wonders. But when we spend so much time glued to our phones and computer screens, something precious is lost: a sense of connection to the generations that have preceded us.
John Forti is acutely aware of this loss, and his mission is to heal it. In The Heirloom Gardener, he celebrates and shares the lore and traditional practices that link us with the natural world and with each other. Arranged alphabetically, entries include heirloom flowers like beebalm, Johnny-jump-ups, and nasturtiums; traditional skills such as distilling, wreath-making, and brewing; and subjects such as ethnobotany, biodiversity, and organic gardening.
Throughout, Forti highlights the ways in which these plants and practices can enrich modern life. The Heirloom Gardener is charmingly illustrated, resulting in a beautiful book that will inspire you to slow down, recharge, and reconnect.
About the Author
John Forti is an award-winning heirloom specialist, garden historian, ethnobotanist, garden writer, and local foods advocate. He is executive director of Bedrock Gardens, an artist-inspired public sculpture garden and landscape in Lee, New Hampshire, and the recipient of a national 2020 Award of Excellence from National Garden Clubs. He is also a regional governor and biodiversity specialist for Slow Food USA, a national chapter of Slow Food, a global organization and international grassroots movement that connects food producers and consumers to champion local agriculture, farmers markets, and traditional, regional cuisine.
Industry Reviews
"The Heirloom Gardener empowers readers with a toolkit of traditional and sustainable practices for an emerging artisanal crafts movement, and a brighter future."
Alice Waters, chef and owner, Chez Panisse; founder, The Edible Schoolyard Project
"Follow John Forti down the garden pathway to the deepest roots of plant lore, food ways, herbal traditions, and living in green harmony on this fragile earth."
Sharon Lovejoy, author of Sunflower Houses; Roots, Shoots, Buckets & Boots; and Trowel & Error
"This passionate and personal manifesto encourages us to upset the applecart of mass production and commodification and look back to the many streams of land-based wisdom still available to us, to find a better way forward."
Jennifer Jewell, writer/producer/creator of Cultivating Place
"Celebrates the creative ways people are bringing hand-crafted goods to market in meaningful, sustainable ways."
Carlo Petrini, founder, Slow Food International
"The Heirloom Gardener is for everyone who cares about the health of our planet."
Julie Moir Messervy, owner of Julie Moir Messervy Design Studio
"Forti's groundbreaking book builds on shared roots to forge a stronger, better, greener tomorrow."
Tovah Martin, author of The Garden in Every Sense and Season
