Friday, March 23, 2012

Friday's Freebie: Sunset! Saved the Best for Last!

 I'm giving away a copy of the fabulous Sunset Gardening Book.

Devoted the whole of last night to packing. I'm heading out on a week long horseback trail ride tomorrow morning (at 4 a.m. Good Lord. Who's dumb idea was that...?) And it never ceases to amaze me just how much packing is involved when you travel with a horse. Saddles and blankets and bridles and hundreds of pounds of hay. Don't forget those carrots. Wouldn't kill ya to bring a bag of apples, too. Seeing as how I'm doing all the work and you're just sitting up there in the saddle...! {That's my horse speaking.}

Sable, Phantom and Ginger. My riding friend & I have look alike Appaloosas!
It's so cute when you pack for a horse trip. They lean against the gate, excited... anxious to go. Not the slightest bit curious as to where we're going. It's off to Sedona, AZ for an ultra-civilized benefit trail ride. Have been working like a little fiend getting ready for this.

Taking care of everybody's needs first (why, oh why, do I do that?) So, now I can take care of me.

And, while I'm gone......

I thought y'all might want to arm wrestle for The Ultimate Gardening Guide!

This week's Freebie is The {New} Sunset Western Garden Book...

... which tips the scales at about 10 pounds.

Sports thousands of gorgeous photos. A full encyclopedia of any and all flowers you could ever hope to grow.

Plus (be still my heart) great native plant info and tasty veggies that do well in our western soils.
They should come up with some sort of Perennial Pulitzer Prize for books like this.  It's just that good.

Sunset gave me this book and I really should have kept it. Because there I go again! Give, give, give. Why am I such a giver? But, I digress...

Sunset gave me this fab book to read and review. I give it 2 thumbs up and now I'm giving it to you.




But, ya gotta work for it...... leave a comment and DIVULGE.

What's the one garden flower that you simply cannot live without? Leave it in a comment. Bonus points for telling us why. Triple bonus points for Latin! (The scientific flower name.) For instance, I love Baby's Breath but true flower geeks aka those who speak Latin call Baby's Breath ~ Gypsophila paniculata.
* It will be way easier to find those Latin names once you win this book.

The New Sunset Western Garden Book:
  • Get plant ideas for any type of garden.
  • Ultra-helpful tips on making the most of a micro-climate.
  • Details on heirloom veggies and how to improve your harvest.
  • Plus, some very cool garden projects.
And - Sunset has also launched a new Plant Finder Database which is very cool. Click here to check it out.

See ya in a week.

18 comments:

Lona said...

Have a fantastic time on your rise Kate!

Carolyn said...

Poliomintha Longiflora (Mexican Oregano) is my new favorite since last year. As you may well know, Texas had a record breaking drought last year. I planted a Poliomintha Longiflora in May and the little plant was covered in blooms right through the summer into fall while everything else was turning brown. Unfortunately it's not very cold tolerant (zone 8) so it'll be potted up when we (and it) moves to Colorado.

Promise Jubilee said...

No doubt whatsoever, DAFFODILS!! And now look at me, moved to Wyoming... Will they even grow here?? I have no idea, but we'll find out!

Farmgirl Heidi said...

My favorite garden flower has to be English Lavender- Lavandula angustifolia. I Live in the Sierra-Nevada mountains. We have short hot summers and long cold winters. I have lavender plants that have weathered our most extreme cold spells and a thirteen year drought. Never failing to provide the wonderful blooms and fragrance that I love. My honeybees are arriving tomorrow. They'll enjoy all that lavender too.

Anna Larson said...

Have fun on your riding trip. I'll be riding at home over the next 4 weekends before we go to any more ACTHA events.


the flower that I cant do without is the Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus) AKA the sun choke. I like it because it looks like you have a big batch of sunflowers, It's perennial, and at the end of the year, you can dig up some of the roots (tubers) and have dinner.

Nancy Evans said...

This is a fantastic book. Practically the Bilble for gardening. I still have the first one I bought in 1969 but I have later editions too :)

Nettie said...

Just came across your great blog!
Love the gardening and cooking
help.
7000 feet minus 15 feet, Ridgway, CO
transplant for 11years. Love it!
Nettie

gisele said...

Tulips. Tulips are the true herald of spring. They bring hope after a long winter, and do much to brighten the mood and remind us that so much more is possible.

loverstreet said...

the flower i cannot live without is the icelandic poppy (papaver nudicaule). i love the way they bob in the wind and help me remember to look for the whimsy in life (i have a terrible propensity for seriousness in all things).
i hope our garden at our new house suits them better than our last house. one would think an icelandic poppy wouldn't mind our wyoming climate!

Yael said...

Have a wonderful time on your trip.

What is a plant I can't live without?  I would have to say a particular peony.  I love all peonies for their beautiful foliage and beautiful fragrant flowere, if not for their ants.  But I particularly love my Paeonia x 'Bartzella'. 

I fell in lust with yellow peonies, and had to have this one, but for the price.  Then I decided to go for it since my coworkers had given me a retirement gift of cash to be spent on the garden plant of my choice. The choice was Bartzella, which is thriving in my garden and giving me more flowers each year.

Anonymous said...

I love Cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus). Both the feathery foliage and bright pink flowers that wave in the wind just make me happy. And, a bonus for me (living at 8400 feet in Nederland, Colorado) is that it is one plant that reaches some height in my flower garden in such a short growing season!

kmclady said...

Being a rather new gardener and having difficulty being in my little microclimate I have enjoyed reading your encouraging words of gardening at high altitude. My Lupines have been beautiful the last couple years and love seeing more seed in to my garden.

JoshSarah Toast said...

Alcea rosea, Hollyhock. I moved from the desert to the mountains 6 years ago and discovered this amazing flower. In the desert we were very limited to what we could grow. When I moved to my new home I was amazed by these tall beautiful flowers I saw growing in almost every yard. My new husband laughed that I was so amazed. I now grow plenty of them in my own yard. They are what I look forward to every summer. It's so fun to see the greenery start after the snow melts and within a couple of months they are taller than me and bursting with flowers.

Wally said...

Hope you've had a wonderful time!

jamie-almosta said...

That pic of the the horses is amazing...

Cynthia said...

I'm probably too late to the party but I guiltily love Delphiniums (delphinium grandiflorum). I say guiltily because they are total water hogs and I try to be waterwise.

Wendy said...

Those horses are so incredibly lucky! I don't think the book would be fitting for me since i'm on the east coast, but I will say...that...oh my god - I can't pick one...I guess I'll just vote for moonbeam coreopsis. I know that's boring, but it's just so fresh, reliable, all-season, cornerstone of the garden. goes well with everything, never fussy, and in my garden I dont tend to have "little flowers", so it's nice. Yup. Just a fabulous overall plant.

Laughing Orca Ranch said...

Ok...so now I'm confused...Sounds like you were packing everything up to bring your own horse down to AZ for the ride. Did you trailer your own horse or ride one of Dacodah's horses (Gracie)?
Oh..and I hate to tell you this...camping in a rental RV is not roughing it. I thought when you said camping, you'd be in a tent. lol!

~Lisa