Martha Stewart's Gardening Month By Month

362 reviews 38 followers

February 18, 2018

Probably the 20th time I've read this book. It's almost a "rite of Spring" at my house to pull it out & use the contents for inspiration before gardening season begins.

The way I became acquainted with this book was totally accidental. I had dropped by a friends house for coffee on the day that she had just received & unwrapped it. I actually wasn't even into gardening that much at the time but there it was, sitting on her coffee table. While she was getting our coffee, I picked it up to glance thru it and practically could not put it down our whole visit. I went home determined to have a copy of my own and thankfully, that happened (a big deal at the time because it was $50.00 & I'd never spent that on a book before!) I'd also never owned a Martha Stewart book prior to this one & haven't bought another since but I absolutely adore this one. It made me wish for my own 'Turkey Hill.' Martha kept chickens & bees, hollowed out pumpkins to serve soup in and did almost everything that is hugely popular with people today (who are interested in where their food comes from & having their own little farmsteads.) In that, she was either ahead of her time or a genius at bringing back ways of the past??

I always credit this book for inspiring me to garden but I think even if I'd never become passionate about that hobby, I'd still love it for the photos and own a copy. It holds a place near & dear to my heart such that I can't imagine ever parting with it.

home-garden

269 reviews 9 followers

February 11, 2012

My first comment to my husband: "She looks so young on the cover!!"

His response: "Young and happy. Just before she takes all your money."

Well, there's a reason this homemaking, empire building woman deserves her (home-made, standard-trained, terracota-enclosed) laurels. This book is remarkable and it's clear she's done most of the work on her huge Connecticut garden herself. I learned a great deal from her practical wisdom.

Fun note: the book is chock-full of photos of a slightly disheveled Martha. She's so much more endearing than the perfectly-coiffed, sedate current version.

28 reviews 2 followers

June 19, 2017

Written in the mid-90s (what I consider "Peak Martha"), this book is, as all things involving Martha Stewart are, impossibly perfect. You'll feel terrible about your abilities but also filled with a desire to do even more. Perhaps to even long for another two acres of yard for your own chicken coop, herb garden, and fruit orchard, despite only barely taming a quarter-acre so far.

17 reviews

February 27, 2020

This book reads like a cross between a manual and a memoir. I enjoyed reading it and it inspired me to be much more organized with my gardening!

September 5, 2008

Truly inspiring, and yet at the same time completely discouraging. How does she do it? I did get a lot of great ideas and helpful tidbits that I will be able to use in my own yard and garden, but for the most part I was just in awe of the things this woman can do - and I'm still trying to figure out how she has the time to do it all.

135 reviews 10 followers

August 12, 2008

When I first started reading this book in the 90's it was borrowed from the library. Eventually a copy had to be purchased. Not only are the photographs magnificent but the adive and recipes are terrific. Love her or hate her this is a fabulous gardening book to take one through the seasons.

crafts

Edited November 14, 2020

My all time favorite gardening book. Beautiful photographs and Martha's sometimes exasperated captions (ie, "Asked gardener to weed mache bed. Mache all gone; weeds remain").
This book only served to deepen my love of gardening and the restorative power of putting your hands in the dirt.

gardening

July 2, 2010

I've loved owning this book, there is a lot of great information and the photographs are so fun.

131 reviews 2 followers

Edited August 2, 2017

I bought this book with a whole week's worth of grocery money when I was in college and ate saltines, careful not to get them on the pages of this book. A favorite I would not part with!

favorites

gardening

11 reviews

August 18, 2008

Great info for the beginer and the seasoned gardener.

4 reviews

December 16, 2018

As the cover says, go month by month. I did just that this year, flipping through each chapter as the months began and the seasons changed. I have neither the budget nor the land space that Martha had on her Turkey Hill farm, but this book is thick with inspiring photos on nearly every page.

In an age where everyone is an online lifestyle "brand" Martha truly was the embodiment of the lifestyle she sold to the masses. This is classic Martha from that time.