I USED TO BECOME IMPATIENT WHEN PEOPLE would type the name of my blog as Away to Garden. Yes, I know; in a url address you cannot tell where words start or end, but the blog was named for my funny old book: “A Way to Garden,” as in the way I garden, here; just my way, one way among many, yes, but the only one I can really offer first-hand, with conviction. Like in the bright green box up top. Now, more than a year and a half into rural living, with glimpses of the city life I knew fading fast, I find myself falling prey to the trap: I, too, am unconsciously typing Away to Garden, as in: I moved away from the city to garden (or live in the garden, at least). How do you hear the name of the blog in your head? Nutty, huh?
stray thought: a way, or away, to garden?
November 20, 2009 By 41 Comments
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I’ve always thought it was an intentional, clever play on words meaning both.
Ah Margaret, I first thought Away to Garden, then
I realized it should be read A Way to Garden, next
I thought such a clever play on words you have
chosen to have the best of both worlds.
Me three. I always thought it was an intentional double entendre (sp?). I say: Go with it.
Even the font of the title of the blog suggests a fanciful flight…away to garden! and then it becomes A way to garden, as we get to know you. A good trip both ways.
So far, we are all agreed — I thought “oh, how clever! Margaret really does have a way with words.”
It was the name that attracted me to the site, and then the whole world of what you are doing (sister project, Nepal, leave city, love frogs, etc). I fitrst saw it as the way you described your initial intention, but I think the ‘away’ feeling is what lights it up and draws you in.
Welcome, Tricia, and thank you for the kind words. Sort of “away we go,” I guess. :) I hope you will be a regular with us.
I am fascinated by all your comments and thanks to all of you who thought I was so clever that I had the double meaning in mind. Nope, just used my old book title. Tee hee.
Ditto. I just thought “How clever!” But since my garden is my refuge and solace – my place away from everything else – I think in terms of the later.
If I’d ever managed a book, well received by the Garden Writers of America or not, I’d most certainly have felt it appropriate to repeat the title when blogging years later. Empires, even smallish green ones, require some branding, at least…..
That said, all along I’d thought (especially after recognizing your level of expertise and dedication) you were taking aim at so many who would presume to present us with THE Way to Garden.
A rose by any other name?
P.S. I wish you could convince your publishers to reprint ‘A Way to Garden.’ [Tell them we all would buy it] I borrowed it from the library and it is beautiful!!
I read it both ways along with the rest… a way and away, given your “from martha to just margaret” statement. It always strikes me as an appealing play on words.
PS
Haven’t seen the 1998 book but you and Andrew were gardening talk radio rock stars in my book during your run on Sirius!
Welcome, Tracy, and thanks. I miss doing that show with Andrew (who is my neighbor here on weekends and co-owns Loomis Creek Nursery). So I get to see him if not do radio with him, thank goodness. But we did have fun. See you soon here again, I hope.
I have a city mouse/country mouse kind of life, like you once had–befitting a gemini. So I hear it as “away.” Even though the spacing on the title says one thing, to me it’s another.
But that’s the poetry in it—it’s “a way” and “away;” both interpretations are accurate, don’t you think?
I love the double meaning you have going with your blog. That is one of the things that originally excited me. What could be better than having “A Way to Garden” and also going “Away to Garden”? I think having them both is a wonderful coincidence. I enjoy all you do.
The first thing I thought of was you driving up on weekends year in and year out while living in the city …thus “away to garden”. Wonderful however you choose to split it up.
I love the name “A way to garden”. I understood it that way from the beginning. It has a wonderful feel to it, simple and nostalgic. It begged me to look at your site and the way you garden. I am shown another gardener’s love for the earth and the things that grow in it. And with that love comes the knowledge gained from your rich store of gardening experience and stunning creativity. An absolutely beautiful way to garden!
I had the book before the blog so ‘Away’ never occurred to me. Funny.
Welcome, Bonnie, and many thanks for the encouragement. I like the way you describe my unintentional double meaning, and yes, what could be better? See you soon I hope.
Welcome, Michelle. I am glad you “heard” the original meaning…for years (since the 90s when I wrote the book) it never occurred to me to think of it any other way. Now both make me smile. Don’t be a stranger.
I heart A Way to Garden…so glad you left the city…
Wow! I have to admit that when I realized that A Way To Garden came out in 1988, I was taken aback. I bought it not long after it came out, so you and I have been on the garden trail together for quite some time. I’ve learned so much from you. I also agree with Tracy; You and Andrew made my day when you were on for 2 hrs. So glad that you still see him. I think either way you look at the title of your book and blog, it’s amazing.
I love this topic…I think of my blog as danger garden. Some need to type Danger Garden, which is fine. But my brother insists that it should be DANGER GARDEN!…ok I do see his point but I prefer the subtlety.
I have always heard it as A Way to Garden. I think it is because you (and maybe I felt this from having listened to you and Andrew on the radio) seem to be the type of person to guide and enlighten others rather than dictate how their garden (or whatever) should be. I echo the request for a reprint!!!
People often call me Charriot because they don’t know what a Chiot it.
Your title works both ways!
Now I have to go to our library and see if your “A Way to Garden” book is there…Or search Amazon not that anyone would ever want to give up their copy! I third the request for a reprint!
Well, Margaret, talent will out. Without meaning to, your words have what for me is the true mark of a good writer – density of meaning that retains its clarity any way you read it.
Welcome, Loree. I will have to go visit your blog and see what danger (uppercase letters or lowercase ones) lie in wait. Interesting. See you soon again I hope.
Add me to the clever intentional list!
Hi Margaret,
I want to wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving and say a huge thank you to you for this site – really for the community it creates. There’s not a time I read (or reread) the blog that I don’t find myself smiling. What a lovely gift you have created. And happy, happy Thanksgiving to all of my fellow readers. E Rocco
You didn’t intend the double meaning? I can’t tell you how many idle shower minutes I’ve spent thinking about how clever the name is … and that it starts with “A” so it’s at the top of everyone’s blogroll.
I heard it both ways and thought you intended the double meaning. Looking for clues in the banner, the fact that the “W” is so much smaller than the “A”, I concluded that you really meant “Away”.
Also, if you wanted to emphasize “way”, you could have said “The way to garden” or (realizing that there are many approaches) “One way to garden”.
Given that you are a professional writer, I think you subconsciously made the title ambiguous; you explained that you left New York City to start a new life in your garden. Strange that you initially reacted negatively against the double-meaning that both your subconscious and readers caught. Was that because it made you realize here was a whole gardening audience that was unfamiliar with your earlier work? Well, now we know.
Margaret,… Times change, People change, and Things change. MAYBE in 1988, when you wrote “A Way To Garden”, you looked at life from a more ROSY, youthful, hopeful, and romantic prospective. You were going to help all the fledgling gardeners be BETTER at their hobby-passion. But as time passed, and you had to see the STORM that came up at MSL, you might have seen life, and the publishing business from another perspective. You probably had to interact with a lot of people with attitudes. Maybe you wanted to say AWAY with you annoying copy writers, AWAY with you diva photographers, AWAY with you over the top stylists, and AWAY with you, to every person of attitude that you had to interact, and put up with. MAYBE you had ENOUGH of all the DRAMA, and said “I am Out of Here”, and “A way to garden” BECAME your personal mantra “AWAY to GARDEN” All along there could have been something FREUDian about the title.
Welcome, Ellen. Such kind words! You are welcome, and happy holiday to you as well. Which remind me that I had better organize a post to that effect…hmmm….
When I first happened upon the name of this blog, I heard a clipped, British accent in my head, as in, “Toodles, I’m away to garden”. Funny!
I came across your blog about a year ago, and definitely thought the name was “away to garden” giving it a lovely, lilting, rather Scottish sound. I now realise I heard it wrong, but either way works well, and I’m a great new fan. Your gardening advice from upstate NY is very helpful to this English gardener in northeast PA.
Welcome, Deborah. Scottish accents are lovely, so I love thinking of it that way now, thanks. Glad to have you among us, and hope your holiday is wonderful. See you soon again.
I thought you meant to be ambiguous.
At first encounter, it registered as AWAY to Garden, sort of like “Off to garden”. I also “heard” it as being uttered in a British accent (a la Beverly Nichols escaping from that dreadful, busybody neighbor, having been waylaid too long by her in the village).
Later it occurred to me that it could be the other way, “A Way to Garden”, and wondered which ’twas.
Having read it a bit now, I feel it plays out organically as both (and now that we know the REST of the story) the dual nature of the title is even more special, as in the how volunteer plants when they blend more harmoniously/strikingly with their neighboring plants than any one might have consciously chosen.
Welcome, Nancy. Love the Beverly Nichols reference. :) It amuses me that it works both ways, but years ago when I did the book, I never thought consciously about the double meaning. The mind works in strange ways, however. See you soon again, I hope.
up up and away, to the garden, where i spend more time, than any where else. funny, just now in my life do i have the urge to just sit and look around, yes, i see the things that need doing, but, for now, they can wait, i am being called to be the observer, or, i am just getting tired. either way, away to the garden for me. still love this book, have shared it with so many. L
hi, Margaret – I broke a tooth this morning while eating my steel-cut oatmeal with honey & raisins. That unfortunate start to my day turned into an amazing blessing…during my 2:00 p.m. dentist visit for my “crown prep”, I borrowed (stole) the March, 2011, edition of More magazine, and subsequently learned about you. I feel as though you’ve put into words what I’ve been struggling with for about a year now, and just maybe my life will never be the same…or at least I hope so. Thank you for your story. I ordered your book from Amazon this evening, and signed up for your e-newsletter. I look forward to reading/enjoying/learning more.
quick question – the green Adirondack-type chair that you occupy in one of your photographs, and the similar red chairs that are in another photo…could you share where you found those? I like the look of them, and might like to acquire a few.
thanks much, Margaret – enjoy the spring, and I look forward to following your cultivation of plants and other projects…including the “completeness” of your life in the country.
Welcome, Colleen. Sorry about the tooth…glad you found me! The chair pattern can be purchased here from the public garden in NYC called Wave Hill. A friend built them for me and heavied up the lumber a tiny bit to make them even more substantial. Enjoy!