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“Margaret Simons, queen of the tiny vegetable garden, heartened me with her radiant pragmatism.” ―Helen Garner, author of This House of Grief
Life lessons from the ground up.
Sometimes you reap what you sow. Sometimes you reap what other people sowed. Sometimes you haven't got a clue what you are sowing, and sometimes you just get lucky, or unlucky. All these things are true of life, as of gardening.
In this thoughtful and beautifully observed book, journalist and gardening enthusiast Margaret Simons takes readers on a journey through the seasons, through her life, and through the tiny patch of inner-urban earth that is home to her garden.
Over the course of a year, within the garden and without, there are births to celebrate and deaths to mourn; there are periods of great happiness and light, and times of quiet reflection. There is, in other words, all the chaos, joy, sorrow, and splendor of being alive.
“[Margaret Simons] collects a flavorful harvest of food for thought and, even better, for supper..”
—Priscilla Montgomery Jensen, The Wall Street Journal
“In Six Square Metres Margaret Simons, queen of the tiny vegetable garden, heartened me with her radiant pragmatism.”
—Helen Garner, author of This House of Grief
“In the tradition of Germaine Greer, Vita Sackville-West, and Katharine S. White, Simons proves herself a modern doyenne of wry garden writing.”
—Publishers Weekly
“A mix of sunny optimism and beady-eyed realism, Simons's memoir celebrates the small joys and 'sheer stubborn hope' of both gardening and family life.”
—Shelf Awareness
“[A] considered and meticulously observed book written by an author who is willing to share the tribulations and joys of a blended family, a fast-paced life and the endless smell of French fries. By doing so, she permits us to consider our own plot—in life and in gardening.”
—Chris Gordon, Readings Bookstore
“It’s a testament to Simons’ wit and humor that a book on ‘gardening-related reflections’ held my interest so. The vignettes range from musings on life, death and human connections to likening John Howard to a brassica and uncovering the leg of a Barbie doll in the compost. A delightful ode to the rhythm of the seasons and ‘life continuing in messy fashion no matter what plans we make.‘”
—Shu-Ling Chua
“Packed with wit, wisdom and the occasional gardening tip.”
—Brisbane News