People with Dirty Hands: The Passion for Gardening

by Robin Chotzinoff

Presents a collection of portraits of people who love to grow things, including the founders of the Texas Rose Rustlers, Bill Palmer and his garden of 450 tomato plants, urban gardener Bill Tietz, and many others. Reprint. Tour.

Genres: Gardening, Nonfiction

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 22, 1996

Reviews

[Ladiibbug · Rating 4 out of 5]

Any gardener who has experienced the relaxation and satisfaction from working in the garden or yard would enjoy this book.

The author travels from Oregon to the Bay Area, to South Dakota, Nebraska, Louisiana, to Long Island to the Carolinas ... talking to everyday gardeners, to local legends within the garden communities ...

Fabulous, just a great read! From the intensely determined people who year after year pursue Miracle Gro's Weightiest Tomato Contest, to mysterious men in LA who are known as "bush doctors" due to their healing with herbs ... to people just like you and me, who love to create in the garden.

[Bonnie Burton · Rating 5 out of 5]

What drives some people to obsess about their tomato plants so much that you wonder if they need a straight jacket as much as a nice gardening hat? Author Robin Chotzinoff went in search of eccentric gardeners who do more than grow veggies, flowers and herbs - they show us how magical a patch of dirt can be. In People With Dirty Hands, read about the Texas Rose Rustlers who find old roses growing in the oddest places (like graveyards), propagate them and then sell the flowers to people who aren't interested in raising genetically-altered blossoms. This book also has tales about ladybug farmers, big city manure delivery folks and more.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

A charming journalistic book about a variety of people who have a passion for growing things. All of them unique, and inspiring - depending upon the reader's personal style, of course!

While some reviews say they enjoyed the beginning more, I found it took a few chapters to get into her journalistic writing style, then LOVED the second half of the book. Or maybe they were just more my style!

[Adrienne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gardeners chatting to Robin about their gardens. Along time since I read it, but I can remember a lovely chapter on Rose Rustling!

[Katherine Stevick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun! Kinda like a more hippie-dippie version of Michael Pollen's Second Nature. Very enjoyable, if not quite as good or cohesive. It wanders a bit, but that's kind of what you want for January Sunday afternoons.

[Gretchen Beerline · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a delightful book! I enjoyed the assortment of gardeners’ passions and temperaments and the author’s writing style. It’s an easy read that lends itself to a chapter or two at a time (between weeding and compost turning...). Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys playing in the dirt.

[Susie · Rating 5 out of 5]

my people

[Brenda Marean · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like to garden, you will LOVE this book!!

[Betty Loven · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good winter read

[Christine Nelson-mccomb · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book; it gave me a clear understanding that not all gardeners are alike. I feel as though I now have permission to do what I want in my own garden without over thinking everything.

[Ruanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Given the characters she talks to, not as interesting as it should have been. Also, she drops hints about her personal life, and you think that more will be revealed, but she doesn't follow up (I always wonder how much stuff like this can be attributed to editing) What happened to the girl with Lupus? How did the rose cuttings ultimately do? Where is the father of her child? Etc., etc. Just a little tying up of loose ends would have been satidfying.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Explores gardeners from around the U.S. and portrays them in a generous, humorous way. I love that it's written in snapshot sort of articles, so I can read it in jumps and spurts. I'm a crazy gardener, so this book felt like a validation for how I tick. If you are a goofy gardener, you'll like it!

[Karen · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book started out great ... and I was reading it as my Florida garden was in full bloom. The first chapters on roses, Chili Peppers, and Lady Bugs were great ... and then repetition and boredom set in. I had 3 gardening books to bring to my NH friend Karen Firmin this summer ... wonder if I should just give her the beginning chapters !!??!

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little uneven and disorganized, like some of the gardens the author visited - like most gardens? (Sometimes I wished I had a better sense of where and when she was writing about.) Overall, though, many memorable moments. A well-written examination through some fascinating characters of American gardeners, gardens, and gardening philosophy.

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned about chiles, tomatoes, seed brokers, and lady bug farmers! I was inspired by all the different

[Yvonne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really great book about gardening and people and dreams.

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm loving this so far...

[Anne]

will read it again

[Elisabeth Kinsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great journalistic segments of people who garden. Whether it's larger than life pumpkins, or strange roses, Chotzinoff digs up stories that are both interesting and quirky.

[David Ward · Rating 1 out of 5]

People With Dirty Hands: The Passion For Gardening by Robin Chotzinoff (MacMillan 1996)(635.0922) is a series of gardening essays. My rating: 2/10, finished 3/28/11.

[Korie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very entertaining!

[Meredith · Rating 5 out of 5]

:)

[Beth Rieke · Rating 5 out of 5]

tomatoes, herbs, flowers, inspiring, Portland, Denver, Louisiana, California, fun stories of zany gardeners

[Laurie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I gave this one to Jamie Buffington. She kept it as of 2013!

[Ellison Rhea · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful read-- a meandering narrative that makes you feel like you're riding shotgun with the author on her fascinating adventure. Immersive Journalism done right!!

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite book, ever.

[Katy Brackett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some chapters were like my Ma wrote them. :)