Heritage Gardens, Heirloom Seeds: Melded Cultures With a Pennsylvania German Accent

Heritage, or traditional, gardens and heirloom seeds are joined at the hip, but previous books have separated them. This is the first holistic look at several of the most vibrant trends in contemporary horticulture, both in vegetables and flowers. Lavishly illustrated, it is a how-to manual, a history, and a guide to gardens and historic landscapes. The basics of heritage garden design from California to the East Coast are here, with special attention to the Pennsylvania four-square garden. Plans and suggestions for your garden are included, and seed-saving techniques are clearly enumerated. A gallery of heirloom plants and lists of suppliers are featured. There are travel suggestions for visiting gardens ranging from Bethabara Park in North Carolina, to The Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum in Pennsylvania, to the Frontier Culture Museum in Staunton, Virginia. This book is sure to delight historians, traditionalists, green thumbs, and horticulturists alike.

Michael B. Emery is a native Pennsylvanian whose ancestors include both Quaker and Amish farmers. A graduate of The Pennsylvania State University, he is the Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum’s Educator and Volunteer Coordinator. Irwin Richman, Professor Emeritus, The Pennsylvania State University at Harrisburg, is a widely known lecturer and the author and co-author of many books, including 10 for Schiffer Publishing.