In the Garden with Pat Rubin

Bee garden writer Pat Rubin writes about everything that grows, from flowers and trees to vegetables and lawns. Pat volunteered for several years as a Placer County Master Gardener and has written about gardening for many national and regional publications. In addition to gardening, she spends time raising and showing miniature horses and miniature donkeys.

In the Garden will include news, events, advice and other gardening tidbits. Pat will also answer reader questions.

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November 19, 2007

Gardening advice wanted

I’m looking for advice.

Actually, I want to hear the best advice on gardening you’ve ever been given.

Two suggestions come to my mind when I think about advice, both tidbits from gardeners more famous than I’ll ever hope to be. The first is from English author Beverley Nichols. He said that you double the size of your garden by cutting it in half. Think about it. Take a large flower bed, and put a path through the middle of it. Voila! You’ve got 2 gardens.

The other best piece of advice comes, I believe, from the famous English gardener and author Vita Sackville-West. If it displeases you, take it out, she said, and plant something that does please you.

A co-worker said her best garden advice is to plant things tall enough to cover the weeds.

So be funny, be serious, be witty, be clever, be practical, but send me your best garden advice. Be sure to include your name and the city where you live.

Send advice to prubin@sacbee.com. We’ll run your comments in the Home and Garden section at New Year’s.

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