Chosen by the American Horticultural Society as one of the seventy-five greatest books ever written about gardening, Second Nature has become a manifesto for rethinking our relationship with nature. With chapter ranging from a reconsideration of the Great American Lawn and a dispatch from one man’s war with a woodchuck to reflections on the sexual politics of roses, Pollan captures the rhythms of our everyday engagement with the outdoors in all its glory and exasperation.
(7 people in attendance)
MG Buds book club 
I am at Benson Stone this morning!!!! A day late and very sad I missed yesterday. We just got back from Cabo San Lucas…have been there since February 1st, so I will use that as my excuse for mixing up the dates instead of pleading insanity. I had an appointment in Chicago yesterday for a gel shot in my knee ( really needed it) so I made the appointment in Iate January….got the 1st appointment after our trip. Darn and double darn!!! I so enjoyed the book…I would have to say it was my favorite one we have read so far and I was so excited to talk to all of you …have missed you. Second Nature had me in stiches…even a few tears. Pollan told great stories of his early gardening experiences…his Dad and grandpa…We are all influenced by those early teachings. Then we enjoyed his journey on the farmette in Conneticut taking us through the seasons of the year.
He described how we all seem to want to manage nature and how that doesn’t work…and how hard we try! Poland’s fascination with heirloom roses, the land management issues, culture verses nature all provoked my thinking. I loved the picture he painted in my mind of the landscaping he did in the back of the house…gave me ideas and reaffirmed how we all dream of our gardening plans.
He was so pleased with his decision to mow a path in his prairie…how gardening satisfies that creative side!
I have already read half of Sand County Almanac and have the next meeting on mind…hope this finds you all healthy and happily reading.
Pat
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1. TALKING POINTS for the MG Buds,
2. Second Nature: Here they talk about seed catalogs. I’m sure that we have received many to date. I was interested in what the book calls “the lower middle class” being Gurneys Seed. The book compares this seed company to a tabloid (I don’t see why, I have used Gurney seeds). It seems that if you look at the catalogue you will see the biggest in pumpkins, watermelon, etc. Remember that “bigger is better”.
3. Use Milky Spore to guide against grubs and Jap. Beetles. Pit it on in late spring
4. America spends 30 billion dollars a year on their lawn.
5. The shaggy ;awn, to court, etc. laws on books
6. Lawn started after civil war. No walls, and have a couple trees
7. Fine shacing of grass is a highlight of lawns
8. Use then to help beautify the neighborhood
9. How a garden relates to a lawn. Battling the earth
10. We are poisoning ourselves
11. Bend nature with our well
12. Garden is a give/take with the land
13. Compost is brown gold
14. Compost improves the soils structure
15. Compost increases water holding
16. Compost will warm soil
17. Chemical fertilizer weakens plants
18. Before 1823 roses bloomed once, now the hybrid T rose came into being
19. The book likes the Dolly Pardon Rose
20. Rose has gone from a bush to a shrub
21. Gardening has moved more down to middle class
22. We don’t know the purpose of some weeds (I like that thought)
23. “Hoathsome slugs”: Naked bullets of flesh, evicted snails.
24. P. 15. Yeah! Captain Kangaroo (Bob Keeshan) was a gardener.
25. We need a compromise between th native and cultivar.
26. First book for Michel Pollan, subsequent books even better! (try –“A botany of Desire”)
Scriber scores this book a 3 out of five
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forgot to add about the rose cane and bumble bees, working as a sexual tool during pollination. This brought a smile to my face. It’s this comparison thing.
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Hey Buds, let’s start some dialogue. Anyway this “lower-middle class” club member would like to read SOMETHING from anyone.
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Second Nature: Here they talk about seed catalogs. I’m sure that we have received many to date. I was interested in what the book calls “the lower middle class” being Gurneys Seed. The book compare this seed company to a tabloid (I don’t see why, I have used Gurney seeds). It seems that if you look at the catalogue you will see the biggest in pumpkins, watermelon, and etc. Remember that “bigger is better”.
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