The 3000-Mile Garden: An Exchange of Letters Between Two Eccentric Gourmet Gardeners

The 3,OOO Mile Garden is a pure delight. While full of useful gardening information, interesting recipes, unusual plants and vegetables, it is in no way dry or pedantic. It is instead a lively and spirited correspondence between two very unique gardeners- their gardens, their countries and their lives.

Having seen the PBS series based on this book, I was very anxious to actually read the book. I wasn't disappointed. Meeting the challenge of one's own ecosystem and making a garden work is interesting reading. This book doubles that interest by going back and forth between two completely different eco- systems and two completely different gardeners. Roger Phillips is in charge of a very public garden in the center of London and enjoys not only working with others but also conversing with visitors that are a part of his daily routine. Leslie Land gets very upset one morning when a strange woman wanders into her garden to admire and comment on it. This is her private domain and she considers the woman to be a rude trespasser. Even Roger finds that difficult to believe. As their friendship develops, however, they rely more and more on the advice they receive from each other and, as a novice gardener myself, I found myself combining their expertise to benefit my own garden.Very interesting reading.