I love all of Beatrix Potter’s classic children’s stories, and have a soft spot especially for Peter Rabbit, as that was the first book I “read” on my own at two years old. I thought it had been created just for me. It was also my first library book, pointing me toward a lifetime of reading.

So whenever I see anything written about Beatrix Potter (BP) or her beloved characters, I absolutely must read it, which is the reason I couldn’t wait to read this book when I first heard about it.

The subtitle explains that this is a book featuring “The plants and places that inspired the classic children’s tales.” I found it to contain similar information to that found in "The Art of Beatrix Potter: Sketches, Paintings, and Illustrations," which also discussed the influence of plants and places on BP’s work. And I actually liked the other book better.

This book is divided into thirds, with the first part being biographical, emphasizing her “Life as a Gardener.” It contains lots of photos, sketches, and watercolors of plants as well as scenes from her children’s books. The second part of the book is “A Year in Beatrix Potter’s Garden,” and the third part is called “Visiting Beatrix Potter’s Gardens.” To be honest, after reading the first part and skimming the second, I just thumbed through the third. I probably won’t have the opportunity to visit her gardens, but this book is the one to use as reference if that is your goal.

The work that went into this biographical book is amazing! Because after the third part, there is a list of all the plants that can be found in each book, both text and art. Then there are Notes & Further Reading, and (hooray) an index! ( )

This book is about the gardens that Potter observed and that are the settings for many of the scenes in her children's books. It is also about the gardens she created at Hill Top Farm and at Castle Cottage in the Lake District of England, as well as about her efforts at reforestation at the farms that she purchased.

The book is an easy book to read and it is beautiful. It is heavy. It is made up of those heavy glossy pages and there is a reproduction of Potter's drawings or photographs of the gardens on every page. There is an extensive index and notes at the end. But best of all, there is an index of all the plants mentioned in every one of her books and short stories. The index even tells the page numbers where that particular plant can be found. It also has a further reading section that starts out with telling the reader about the Beatrix Potter Society. This is just a lovely book that is designed for readers and gardeners. It was a very nice pastime book. ( )

Theo picked this off the shelf in the library last week when he ran away from me. I think he recognized the picture on the spine. It proved to be a very enjoyable read. Filled with pictures and drawings it was easy to follow even though I didn't recognize many of the flowers' names. ( )

My Daughter bought this book for me knowing how much I love Beatrix and her tales. I am an obsessive flower gardener and lover of all things in nature. This book was a delight. So often with books like these I never quite finish them but even taking my time to just enjoy this book I read it in a week. After finishing I promptly went on the internet to get an idea how much a trip to see Miss Potter's home would set me back! I will begin saving for this trip tomorrow! ( )

We all know Beatrix Potter from her creation, Peter Rabbit and Flopsy, Mopsy and Cottontail. And we know she was a wonderful artist. But what I didn’t realize was she was much more than an artist/writer. She was an avid gardener and a conservationist. Gardening was a prominent part of her life and her homes in the English countryside were donated to a land trust and have been preserved.BeatrixPotterFlowers2

Beatrix Potter’s Gardening Life is a wonderful book. Divided into four parts, the first is her biography. But instead of being a mere narration of her life, it emphasizes her many drawings of flowers, giving examples and explaining how her real life gardens made their way into her books. Her artistry, even at the young age of 10, was apparent and the watercolor with pen and ink drawings throughout the book are testament to her abilities.BeatrixPotterFlowers

The second part of the book describes her garden in the four seasons, with enough current photos, drawings by Potter and quotes about her garden to give readers a fantastic idea of what her garden looked like, how she felt about it and how she tended her garden.

The third section prescribes a tour of Potter’s various homes and gardens.

BeatrixPotterFlowers3The last section, part of which I found most interesting, was a listing of all the plants Potter grew in her garden and a list of which of her plants appeared in which of her books.

If you love flowers and gardening and watercolors of flowers and Peter Rabbit, you will love this book. Small in size. Big in color. It makes me want to visit Potter’s various homes in the English countryside. Just wonderful. ( )