As a young girl, I loved the Laura Ingalls Wilder book series. chasing. expecting. This is just a sample of the rhymes you can find with Chorus. Im still enchanted by color every day. Like a flower I got a youngster , a seedling , put in the work like a flower feed water nutrition and alove affair was born. But my most favorite of the Dr Seuss boom was the Dictionary in Spanish and English. How did you come up with the concept? I dont live in the country now, but I dream of one day living that quiet, simple country life . My favorite book was published in 1997 called The Gardener by Sarah Stewart with gorgeous illustrations by her husband David Small. I am still a child I think- I love books about animals and magic. He suggested a book called Kane and Abel. Thank you for the opportunity, its a beautiful book! My mom passed away at a young age, and now I live in the home I grew up in, tending the garden she made, pruning her roses and making beautiful bouquets from the very same plants she loved so much. Several years ago our State Fair did a floral design theme of stories and the one I had to do was The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe I read that book and watched the movie so I would be better able to interpret that story in flowers. When, on the red dawn throning, To this day, one of the things I treasure most is sitting beside my loved one while we are both lost in our love of reading! Its about a little girl who helped her mom make a clown doll for her out of pieces of fabric. Adventure books were my favorite. I have learned a lot from observing these examples over the years, both in placement and color combinations. It spoke to simpler times and a connection to the outdoors as a way of healing. I stood there and smiled. Rhonda is a potter and makes the vessels, and mum is a great cook so she whips up a soulful meal for everyone. They were beautifully illustrated. I loved Snugglepot and Cuddlepie by May Gibbs. Once out there she was living in a tree. native plants (awesome in arrangements!) Sharilyn. Pop a food item on the plate and have its pair and one other object ready. A neighbor had lent me a Nancy Drew Mystery and started me off. Maybe that is where love for gardening started. my favorite- John Bauer. As an adult I like to go back to childrens books,after I worked with young children so many years, I realised that we all have this chance to go back to that wonder inside of each of us and create with no limits,just as childrens are doing,when I look at this book I see all the beauty and the colors and this, brings me back to my real creativity. I just remember looking ahead and seeing the story. I loved those books. La collection de livres qui ont marqu mon enfance est Martine. I think it has rubbed off on me to be a confident, independent adult in the world. If you dont stay away from them, we see. My favorite books have been many, but I can honestly say it was to seed catalogs, with the pictures of the flowers that drew my attention. My favorite childhood book was The Farthest Away Mountain by Lynn Reid Banks. Congratulations on the new beautiful book! wanted to learn more about the farmer-florist movement in New Zealand. One of my favorite lines from Peter Rabbit when he was caught by the button of his jacket in a gooseberry net: His sobs were overheard by some friendly sparrows, who flew to him in great excitement, and implored him to exert himself. The small books of Beatrix Potter were my books as a child and also all funny cartoon ,magical and fantastic!As of today these continue to live through me through making puppets comme to life with felt am working on a flower one, because flowers inspire me in so many ways from colors to textures to scents and multiple varieties hoping to inspire young people with this project !Inspiration from the fields , will surely help the inner artist in me TY. Thanks Erin for sharing this! I delight in the discovery of color in the garden as plants illustrate what i imagined when first placing seeds in the soil. Now I learned 1st hand that the wanting & having had no relation to the responsibility and commitment. My parents were constant readers. And now as an adult, Im a pediatric therapist and help kids who are going through struggles of their own. To this day, I still love a good childrens book with vibrant pictures and lots of little pictures to find! Me I always preferred I Spy books. Its my favourite hobby to read books about flowers, gardening, painted arts with flowers, photography and landscape Art with flowers and gardening. I loved my Dads Encyclopedia Brittanica set I would sit there and just pour over them looking for new information! I now have 2 Kune Kune pigs (the breed is originally from New Zealand !) I continue to love childrens books the stories and the illustrations. Occasionally a splurge would be on colored pencils or chalk, and a real sketch book with sturdy paper. As a little girl I was never into books, but I was really into nature. I now own a small farm and just getting started growing flowers again.. Francie breathed the warm air, watched the dancing leaf shadows, ate the candy and took sips of the cooled water in-between reading the book. A Tree Grows In Brooklyn. I red Anne of Green Gables a lot of times! My favorite book was a color book. To this day I love the suspende genre. It made me curious about where we live and come from . Thank you for this interview with all the stunning photography too. I had the luxury of living down the street from the local library. I would bury myself in their adventures and ever since then have been fascinated by Puffin birds. Its just one of the many things we share now. These stories described fairies, brownies, pixies, giants, trolls, talking bears and women who spoke their minds and achieved rank of princess because their values and cleverness outshone and revealed their beauty. My favourite books were the Enid Blyton Magic Faraway Tree and Wishing Chair series because they were filled with magic and adventure. Sometimes I feel like Im from another planet. They were adventure mystery books that included mythical characters (i.e., Santa, Leprechaun, etc.). Those books sparked my passion for animal and their welfare. by Lois Hobart, Martha Alexander (Illustrator). I think these books led me to being an inquisitive adult with a strong sense of doing the right thing. As a child, I loved to read anything with adventure and history. It made me want to visit the islands, which still to this day hold their annul Pony Penning Week where they round up wild ponies and swim them across the channel between the islands to be auctioned off (only some; for population control). I love flowers, gardening and the beautiful earth we live on. I suppose its reflected in a curious and analytical outlook as an adult. As a child I always adored finding the most beautifully illustrated books, especially the ones with bright colors and detailed nature scenes. So when my husband and I and our 3 children moved from town to 10 acres and an old farmhouse, we were ready to begin our own adventure. While facts are great and necessary, helping connect them to the lives of my sixth grade students is a must. I loved yet feared Maurice Sendaks Where the Wild Things Are. Anything that allowed me to escape reality! Probably influenced me to become a nurse. I adore all of the color palettes and the beautiful collections of flowers you showcase throughout the book. I dont remember being able to read descriptions, but I loved the pictures and my mom let me pick many of the flowers she planted. They showed me magic in quite literally everything, and gave me the ability to mitigate my circumstances on a whim. Im doing the same thing again as a life coach. and these beautiful stories still remind me to step lightly in wild places lest I disturb the otherworldly creatures who helped me become me. I always adored the I Spy books as a kid. This lovely book offers gentle reminders of our responsibility to protect the earth. As a child, Magic Eye & I Spy books were formative to my imagination. Then I got to repeat it all again when homeschooling my boys. As a typical 90s kid, I could not get enough of The Babysitters Club books or the Goosebumps series. Lots of daily work and wonderful adventures! Thanks for the interview. Required fields are marked *. Now in my 60s I finally have my creative life. I loved the book The Secret Garden and Ive been working to create my own secret garden ever since! By the end of that year we had quite a collection, and Id spend hours lying on the blue carpet in front of the bookcases upstairs in the hall outside my bedroom, immersing myself in their worlds. It will always be The lion the witch and the Wardrobe. I think this is part of why I love growing flowers in being in the dirt. My father gave me as a gift the secret garden. Our parents were artist and musicians so the house was a creative and free spirited atmosphere. People helping others, like a man who couldnt walk receiving a cane someone carved for him out of love, or children who put secret gifts on an elderly womans porch to make her day, made my heart sing. Since my grandmother taught me to crochet on her front porch on a hot summer day, I have always kept my hands busy. Favorites were Mike Mulligan and his steam Shovel (a nod to my tomboy nature), all of the Little House on the Prairie series (my grandmother gave them to me as gifts that I treasures) and Nancy Drew. She noticed the rolling hills and had the greatest idea. Chocolate, chocolate, I love you to the end! she inherited my passion for gardening and has dahlias from seed and loves roses and zinnias and cosmos and .. The beautiful nature images inspired my love of flowers. Now, as I start my flower journey, I seek out learning opportunities to better my understanding of soil/soil health, bio-diversity. I plant more and more every year on our small farm in Oregon. I loved the Hardy Boys & Nancy Drew books As a child my mother more often pushed us outside to play with our own imagination. Like Miss Rumphius, I, too, hope to make the world more beautiful, be it with roadsides abundant with lupine or sharing flowers in another way with the world. The pigments used for the illustrations evoke the translucent palettes of the natural flowering world. Looking forward to tea parties with my grandkids! The very first thing I purchased when I found out I was pregnant with our first child, 40 years ago. Today, I still love looking at the pictures from this great big world of ours and learning about other cultures. So beautiful! Reading mysteries has made me more curious as an adult. Also loved Island of the Blue Dolphins and Anne of Green Gables. Here are some super simple food activities. The thing is, I still love fairy tales. Andrews books. As an adult and teacher, Ive loved childrens picture books. Thank you so very much for this interview! Impossible to pick a favorite book from my childhood; just too many I loved. My mom saved it and I was able to share it with my daughter when she was small. As a very little cold, I loved Hop On Pop by Dr Seuss. Ham and lamb rhyme., How about these words? I soared in my dreams, in my imagination and through books. 5. So alas, I must take my leave of you now to search for a magical plant that includes princess or tiara in its name. I loved Nancy Drew books and to this day still enjoy a good mystery . . And also to you Erin, for your successful business that make a lot of people happy. Our stories is the one thing nobody can take away from us. My mom was probably the biggest gardening inspiration. Now Im an avid gardener and love gardening books. Thanks so much for a glimpse into your secret gardens and life in New Zeland.Kare. I loved to read as a childI really loved old poetry books I would find in antique shops while my mom would look for antique items that she was on the hunt for. Winnie the Pooh has a special place in my heart! Cant wait to get the book. My favorite books as a child were The Little Lost Kitten and The Mystery in the Pirate Oak. What an inquisitive and searching mind. My favourite childhood books would be the Mandie Collection books by Lois Gladys! I plant flowers and a garden every summer, working in the soil grounds me. Her book looks like an artists dream! I can be a successful flower farmer season 2, here I come trying again! They all knew us. Many thanks. To celebrate the release of Zos new book, Lost & Found, were giving away five copies. What would I be without my garden, without flowers, without trees, without nature? Yes! I am an avid reader. As a child, I was always drawn to three types of books: fiction, scientific discovery, and coffee table books. I used to get so carried away when I was little and many a time my mother would ask, who am I talking to, while i was playing in our garden. Maybe thats what started my love of gardening! Cant wait to check this book out! It was filled with so much love of family and the importance of cherishing memories. I think that the simple act of searching for objects has a way of slowing you down, as if walking through a garden, taking in every little detail. It motivated me to become a physician and work for health and human rights around the world. I have long-admired Zo from afar and am dying to visit her farm in person someday. I loved getting lost imaginative world of nature. Im now watching the series with my four girls and it reminds us to slow down and appreciate the simple aspects of life. The less well known Suess books are still a favorite of mine to read to kids. Magical. I learned that a book could feed the soul and take you on an adventure. filled with wild flowers and trees! Remove the non-rhyming word and restate the rhyme. Nope, but I loved the seek and find in the Highlights magazine and was content looking at that every time. You can share happiness with others and not use them to the point of no return. I once read that its better to believe in the impossible and probable than probable and impossible. I have all the floret books and look forward to getting Lost and found to add to my collection. Grown now, I recognize just how greatly these books impacted me, and still do. Is great for those who are health-conscious. clear. 2. As a young child I was into poetry. As a kid, my parents had a subscription to National Geographic which opened up a world of beauty to me beyond the desert environment where we lived. I read anything I could get my hands on. My moms old biology textbooks, it opened my mind to wonder. Whether that be through our event work, local bouquets, workshops, or now our book. Love this interview! I adored the Narnia books. As I had daughters of my own, I read this book to each of them. I would take some thick, heavy books with me when we went on vacation and pick flowers from that area and press along our journeys. Precious moments ! Show all. MORE INFO Classic Type in answers that appear in a list Type in answers that appear in a list Best Score? The catch, though, is that I didnt like reading myself. Gardening is my first love . Maybe one day I will see one in real life! Nancy was smart, brave and fun and I strived to emulate her. Boxcar Children, Nancy Drew, & the Babysitters Club. Zoe Fields book looks stunning and would be an amazing gift. There was always work to do so reading wasnt focused upon except for our school work. I cant seem to go on a walk without foraging for sticks, berries, and seed pods to add to the organic decor in my home. I cannot think of a better gift of knowledge and joy to pass down through generations. Especially loved anything about how things were in the olden days ! My love for flowers had always spilled into my art work and I couldnt get my hands on enough books or magazines that showed me the way to my current craft love! I think it made me grow believing that magical things do happen, it got me through some pretty tough years. I fell in love with this story about the Mary Call Luthor, an orphaned teen who is struggling to raise her two younger siblings (and avoid government services breaking up the family) in the Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina in the early 1970s. My brothers had them all so they were available. It has also inspired my craft of making various things (miniature houses and vases) out of natural materials foraged from the land and my gardens. My limited, young world was enriched and expanded. Around 8 or 9, I fell in live with the Boxcar Children series and the story of Heidi. Also have a beautiful rose given to me by and elderly neighbour that smells so delicious your nose gets lots in it. Something about the whimsical illustrations always captured me. Seeing so many women find peace in gardening I too am starting in that realm. As a child I loved Felicity from The American Girls collection as well as Black Beauty. I could never leave them alone all day. My favorite series of books to read as a child was the adventure series The Boxcar Children. I read dozens of them! My favorite book when I was growing up was Miss Rumphius It was a story about a little girl that grew up wanting to travel the world. Learning about Zoe Field through your Instagram is especially timely as I am closing on a property in NZ today and am excited about the prospect of visiting her farm in the future. My favorite one was about fairies! It was such a wonderful escape; I read this book aloud to my kids who begged me each night to read another chapter. I loved the idea of going through an old gate into a garden of gnarly vines, branches, a Robin, and finding a refuge there. I loved The lion, the Witch , and the Wardrobe. It made waiting for the bell to go home for the day short order. I would love a copy of this book, it looks like a joy to read again and again. The secret garden!! I would say its starting to become easier with more seed suppliers and nurseries catching onto the trends. One of my favorite stories was about the garden fairies. Now as an adult and a mom, I work hard to make sure my girls get to experience and soak up the homestead life, even though were currently living in the burbs. As a child I read pretty much anything I could get my hands on, but the stories that I remember most vividly were the adventure and sci-fi/fantasies! As a child I loved to get my hands on any sort of how to draw books. I hope the sometimes 100 plus summer degrees here in CA will not negatively affect them too much. This would be the perfect book for us to read together!! All of her books are outstanding. My favorite type of books as a kid were mysteries. I always admired the hard work they went through, even for something as simple as a cake. Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. I still remember them. Our favorite books as I raised my four babies were The Wheres Waldo series and The Choose Your Own Adventure Series. But I do hope to visit the small villages and find those little gardens that show the love of their gardener. - Newcastle restaurateur Terry Laybourne on reopening St Vincent for first time since Covid, Top city chef and 21 Hospitality Group owner Terry Laybourne talks about the March 9 re-launch of quayside restaurant St Vincent, the effects of the pandemic, the cost of living crisis and Newcastle's current dining scene. This looks like a gorgeous book! Recognizing patterns. I loved everything by Roald Dahl and read them voraciously! They are in my garden today. Near rhymes (words that almost rhyme) with alexis: cathexis, sexist, sepsis, antisepsis. Ive loved dogs all my life. My family is from Michigan and Wisconsin so it felt like it was so close to home. Lost and Found is beyond beautiful!! Id have to say my favorite books were those with beautiful illustrations and photographs. Im sure my subconscious was saying, If she can.. Im always attracted to any floral book with lots of pictures so I can envision where I would like to start my next garden. My life has been filled with the loss of loved ones but I push forward, trying to find the beauty in the day! Absolutely LOVE what you do Erin! Have always loved books. The books sparked so much imagination and my sisters and I enjoyed the characters and the Tree changing its blossoms and all the things it grew! It was recently re-released and when I read the news about the censorship, I took some time to think about the symbolism and motifs behind The Big Friendly Giant and Sophie. You will need scissors, magnets, a cookie sheet, and of course, the plate and rhyming card printable. As an early reader my favorite book was Chip and Dales book of The Mystery of the Missing Peanut. Excited to see this! Blue Willow by Doris Gates is a lovely tale of a migrant farm workers daughter who has one blue willow plate that she relishes. I remember a baby orangutan in a big bowl getting a bath on one cover. But connecting to the earth fills your soul! Theres magic in the world around us, and I see this with my children when they play. Amazingly, my daughter (4) discovered them as well and theyre now some of her favorite books. I enjoyed biographies which helped inspire me to become the person that I have. The siblings were creative, caring, and close with one another. I cannot wait to read Zos book. I was and still am a voracious reader. with my younger sister. Another beautuful book I would love to add to my collection. I loved books about magic and other worlds, like the Narnia series. I have to say that Madeline and all the adventures she had were my favorite. I loved books about animals: Dr. Doolittle, All Creatures Great & Small, Paddington Bear To this day I can lose entire days to amazing books by brilliant authors and creators, and I have realized that while I cant do everything, I can experience a lot through other peoples fascinating lives and pursuits. And not to mention, which one of those books doesnt mention gardens?! preschool activities, preschool crafts, and preschool books. My favorite books were the mystery series from Carolyn Keene. Growing up in Canada I loved all the Anne of Green Gables books. Wheres Waldo? I hope that Zoes flower farm is OK after the storm and the community will recover quickly. It made the life ahead seem so crazy, chaotic & fun! Wild flowers were everywhere in all colors, shapes, and sizes. I love Beatrix Potter books and am so glad I got to become a mom so I could share these books with my (4) kids! Planting seeds and growing flowers is surely one way to do that! Nearly everything I read was historical fiction, especially the classics. Great interview! It inspired me to appreciate nature as a young child, especially when visiting my grandparents spectacular garden around the corner from our home and helping my mom in our own family flower garden. Years later, when I became interested in genealogy, it was the pursuit of the mystery that pushed me to research my family history. Instead of going directly, she stops and invites her rabbit friend, and they take the long way, through a meadow, past a pond and into some woods, enjoying the beauty and each other, and picking a bouquet along the way. Nancy was so clever and confident! You brought back lovely moments of memory through your own inspiration. , were giving away five copies.