Felder Rushing Visits the Garden

If you read this blog for very long (or search through the archives at the right side of the page), you'll know I've mentioned Felder Rushing numerous times. From his quirky truck garden to  his observations on life, he's always fun to be around.

Felder's truck garden has over 70,000 miles on it. He can grow a garden anywhere!

We were tickled to have Felder come up our way from Jackson, Mississippi for a visit. He's had me on his radio show, the Gestalt Gardener on Mississippi Public Radio, several times, but this is the first time he's been to Long Creek Herb Farm to visit the garden.

Felder brought us a copy of his new book, Slow Gardening: No-Stress Philosophy for All Senses and All Seasons. He's a brilliant writer and his observations about life and gardens always surprise and delight me. He also brought along his book on bottle trees. I've always disliked bottle trees (hated is probably too strong a word, but I've come close) but Felder has made a convert of me over the years. The afternoon sunlight as it filters through colored bottles is like a stained glass window, he has said so many times I've come to believe it. I've always contended I wouldn't have a bottle tree in my garden, but Felder pointed out that I already have one "in bud" ready to bloom into bottles, in my lavender bed.

A budding bottle tree.

Felder is a prolific writer and his new book on bottle trees will make you salivate to have one in your own garden. You can read more about it here.

Mostly we walked the garden and talked plants. Then we ate from the garden and talked some more. It's always a thrill to have a friend and fellow gardener on the farm, speaking "plant-ology" and tasting the garden bounty, whether right from the vine or later from the table.

Felder carries with him a worn-out, torn up copy of White Trash Cooking and before he and a friend (more later about that) he pulled out a page from the introduction and read what's underlined below. It was a great ending to a wonderful visit.