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Old Wives' Lore for Gardeners
Presents useful and curious information, obtained from the authors' acquaintances and readings in old and new books, concerning the cultivation of fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers
63 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1976
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
October 11, 2025
This is lovely - so interesting to see the similarities between this and braiding sweetgrass, both looking at the tradition of asking trees and plants for permission before taking or cutting. The old English countryside farmers must have seemed so far away from the native Americans and yet!!!
April 8, 2018
So this slim unassuming volume is a collect of old sayings and tips about gardening collected by two sisters first published in 1976.
Honestly this was an endless smile, I enjoyed all of it. I also really enjoyed the explanations of the lore. My favourite entries were of course the bad advice.
"If it [a pest] moves slowly enough, step on it. If it doesn't, leave it, it'll probably kill something else".
Honestly this was an endless smile, I enjoyed all of it. I also really enjoyed the explanations of the lore. My favourite entries were of course the bad advice.
"If it [a pest] moves slowly enough, step on it. If it doesn't, leave it, it'll probably kill something else".
November 18, 2023
This is a lovely little book, I found it randomly at the library and was super excited to read it because I love lore. The information in here genuinely helpful (if you have a garden I assume), and the lore referenced is really esoteric and sweet and speaks to the part of me that is kind of spiritual and genuinely believes in old magic
Quotes I Liked! :
“Even if the moon has now been danced on by astronauts and is littered with American Space Authority hardware, over my garden (and surely yours too) she still shines enchantment.”
“Whether the long history of magic proves the suggestibility of man, or the wisdom of believing in what has been experienced but not yet ex-plained, is immaterial: magic is fascinating, it does enchant.”
“Perhaps to this day if a donkey is seen eating roses it should, in charity, be left to do so, and not be driven off until it is quite clear that it is only a donkey.”
“When preparing a trench for beans, particularly in light soil, line the very bottom with a thick layer of newspaper to retain the moisture.
Writers can use rejected manuscripts for the same purpose.”
“To deal with the problem more prac-tically, hang a jar with a little beer or sugared water in it in fruit trees or bushes or in a pergola under which you sit, and let the wasps commit suicide at their leisure.”
“The country is better drained than it used to be, and you may have to make a journey to the few surviving fens to catch your leech or ask at the kind of chemist's who still spells himself 'chymist', …”
Quotes I Liked! :
“Even if the moon has now been danced on by astronauts and is littered with American Space Authority hardware, over my garden (and surely yours too) she still shines enchantment.”
“Whether the long history of magic proves the suggestibility of man, or the wisdom of believing in what has been experienced but not yet ex-plained, is immaterial: magic is fascinating, it does enchant.”
“Perhaps to this day if a donkey is seen eating roses it should, in charity, be left to do so, and not be driven off until it is quite clear that it is only a donkey.”
“When preparing a trench for beans, particularly in light soil, line the very bottom with a thick layer of newspaper to retain the moisture.
Writers can use rejected manuscripts for the same purpose.”
“To deal with the problem more prac-tically, hang a jar with a little beer or sugared water in it in fruit trees or bushes or in a pergola under which you sit, and let the wasps commit suicide at their leisure.”
“The country is better drained than it used to be, and you may have to make a journey to the few surviving fens to catch your leech or ask at the kind of chemist's who still spells himself 'chymist', …”
January 26, 2025
This was a lovely little unassuming book of lore. I decided to add it to my nightly reading, but I enjoyed it so much that I brought it everywhere with me. I am planning to use some of the flower arrangement antidotes <3
I would recommend this to someone that loves listening to the tales of the past, short stories, and (of course) gardening.
My only complaint is that it isn’t longer ❤️🫶🏻
I would recommend this to someone that loves listening to the tales of the past, short stories, and (of course) gardening.
My only complaint is that it isn’t longer ❤️🫶🏻
August 10, 2022
Definitely something different than your typical gardening book. I picked it up at a book sale and there is honestly something refreshing about hearing what sounds like it would be witchcraft being applied to a garden and then finding out that (surprise) it actually works for the most part.
June 1, 2018
Environmentally safe garden tips!
June 29, 2018
Picked this up randomly in my parent's home to read aloud to my crying 5 month old daughter. It worked. Baby approved.
December 27, 2019
So charming!!
October 24, 2020
Some useful information and some interesting insights to the superstitions of the past.
January 27, 2021
Interesting wee tips and tricks for the garden, backed up by lore from bygone days. Second half gets a bit tedious.
February 6, 2022
A lovely read! Very helpful and informative all while retaining its Old Wives charm!
October 17, 2025
Super sweet and charming book any gardener or lore enthusiast will fall in love with.
February 13, 2020
Super sweet and charming, just what it advertises! A cute short read :)
February 22, 2020
Title in German:
Was die Kräuterhexen sagen. Ein magisches Gartenbuch
This little book is not your usual guide book about gardening. It´s more a collection of wise sayings and seeming superstition around the garden. It´s written with humor and irony and made me laugh out loud more than once. But there are also practical tips included, field reports and historical reviews of "old times". Quotes and songs are put into the text like e.g. when you cut your roses:
There was an old man of Calcutta
Whose die-back when pruning was utter.
No die-back he found
With tips bent to the ground,
That wily old man of Calcutta.
It´s amusing to read and I´m sure in old wisdom is usually hidden a grain of truth..
Oh, and before I forget, the poet Herrick tells about an old custom on christmas eve: you should drink to prosperity of all your fruit trees! The more you´re raising your glass the more fruits you will have the next year!
Is there anybody interested to put it into test and to tell me the result?
Was die Kräuterhexen sagen. Ein magisches Gartenbuch
This little book is not your usual guide book about gardening. It´s more a collection of wise sayings and seeming superstition around the garden. It´s written with humor and irony and made me laugh out loud more than once. But there are also practical tips included, field reports and historical reviews of "old times". Quotes and songs are put into the text like e.g. when you cut your roses:
There was an old man of Calcutta
Whose die-back when pruning was utter.
No die-back he found
With tips bent to the ground,
That wily old man of Calcutta.
It´s amusing to read and I´m sure in old wisdom is usually hidden a grain of truth..
Oh, and before I forget, the poet Herrick tells about an old custom on christmas eve: you should drink to prosperity of all your fruit trees! The more you´re raising your glass the more fruits you will have the next year!
Is there anybody interested to put it into test and to tell me the result?
July 7, 2013
I picked up this slim volume some time ago, at a book sale or used book sale. As interesting as the book itself is the inscription from Joan & Bob to Hank. I wonder why Hank no longer wanted this book?
The sisters who wrote the book, not old wives, they explain, but old spinsters, write their garden tips with humor and common sense. Among the many things I did not know:
Banana skins are good for roses.
Foxglove, or foxglove tea, prolongs the lives of cut flowers.
When rinsing both milk and beer bottles, throw the water on the garden.
A creosote (what is this?) flag will keep deer away.
The sisters who wrote the book, not old wives, they explain, but old spinsters, write their garden tips with humor and common sense. Among the many things I did not know:
Banana skins are good for roses.
Foxglove, or foxglove tea, prolongs the lives of cut flowers.
When rinsing both milk and beer bottles, throw the water on the garden.
A creosote (what is this?) flag will keep deer away.
June 12, 2011
Picked this up from the Tool Library. Cats can be deterred from catmint by an old bicycle tube (they'll think it's a snake).
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews