These pieces of writing are superb and have given me great inspiration.
I loved the way that the book captures the sense that the garden is a constantly changing experience: moving, changing, watched and adapted. That it is about getting to know your land and that sense of personal intimacy that comes with time. Gardening is about the here and now, the past and the future. I believe that if more people understood that there are very few quick fixes in life, we would be a happier people. Monty Don captures this wonderfully in this book. He also captures the sense that life is as much about `process' as `product'. I loved the genuine enthusiasm that Monty Don has and finishing the book you feel that there is nothing more important in the world than this engagement with the land: it really matters. I personally too can connect with that.
I teach English Lit to older students, spend a lot of time dealing with the written word... and don't tend to lavish praise lightly - this book is superbly written - and, refreshingly - it has got something to say.