While I must admit that the author of this book is a cherished friend, setting my personal bias aside, I genuinely believe this book is a top pick for your Christmas reading list or as a thoughtful gift. It may even transform your perception of gardens, potentially sparking your own creative gardening journey.

This tome primarily chronicles the evolution of the Glen Villa Art Garden: an expansive 750-acre property in North Hatley, Quebec, that features a lake, farmlands, woodlands, and a portion of an ancient forest.

However, this isn’t your typical ‘Sculpture Garden’ where art pieces seem arbitrarily placed. Nor is it filled with cryptic artworks that perplex the observer. Instead, this book provides a window into the inception of each art piece, detailing the events, personalities, or historical moments that ignited their creation and the journey of bringing them to life.

For instance, one of the standout pieces is ‘The Writing is On The Wall’, initially discovered at Broadwoodside. It’s etched into a wall, but at Glen Villa Art Garden, the words are illuminated in neon. Pat, the gardener, installed this as a tribute to her spouse on their golden anniversary. These neon words are reminiscent of their time in China during the Cultural Revolution and are a nod to his journey as an editor and writer.

The garden’s narrative unfolds with Pat’s evolution from a conventional gardener to someone who realized the potential for deeper expression through gardening.

In one memorable moment, Pat and I connected over being influenced by “The Inward Garden” by Julie Moir Messervy, a 1995 publication that’s another must-have for the festive season.

Across a quarter of a century, Pat’s journey of exploration, research, travels, garden visits, and collaboration with innovative minds has birthed a garden brimming with significance and allure. The land was once treaded by the Abenaki, and their legacy is honored with great respect in this garden.

Sources of inspiration for Pat were diverse, ranging from everyday catalogues to significant life events, such as the passing of her mother. The book offers a candid glimpse into the challenges faced in realizing a vision and the subsequent fruition.

“Autobiography of a Garden” weaves tales of garden creation, personal anecdotes, historical context, artistic insights, plant stories, and encounters with nature’s creatures, like the invasive deer. Each chapter title tantalizes readers with a hint of the intriguing content within.

This book delves deep into avant-garde gardening, driven by a profound connection and commitment to a specific locale. It’s about understanding, cherishing, engaging, and articulating the essence of a place, bringing out its utmost beauty and significance. The emotional undertones resonate with the feelings one has for a loved one, encompassing moments of happiness, sorrow, reminiscence, learning, growth, and endings.

However, there’s a bittersweet note. Both the garden and the book may predominantly appeal to gardening enthusiasts. Art should be universally relatable, but many art aficionados might perceive gardens as exclusive to gardeners. So, perhaps, this Christmas, gift this book to someone who appreciates art in its many forms, and let’s expand their horizons.