A gardener's journal

Approximately 5"x7" in size, this small spiral-bound journal is perfect for serious gardeners or even casual gardeners like me who can't ever remember where they planted what nor all the various chores that needs to be done each season.  I don't know about you, but there are always garden chores I forget about until the problem is rearing its ugly head and sometimes that is simply too late.

The book is divided into season with a list of chores that need to be completed, several journal pages to make your own notes for each of the five years this journal contains, as well as several pages of graph paper to map out your garden as you tuck in new plants or revise as others die out.  Without a doubt, the most helpful for me will be the list of chores.  Plant markers can (but don't in my world) mark where you plant perennials and a simple notebook can serve as a gardening journal but how nice to have the chore list, notes, and garden plans all in one place.  The book claims to be "waterproof" but I would consider it more water resistant.  The cover is coated so that a splash or mist will allow the water to be wiped away but the pages themselves could easily be damaged with more intense water drops or sprays.

Several interesting appendices are contained including one on composting, container gardening, pruning and more.  Each topic also contains suggested websites (somewhat a dangerous undertaking in my opinion since websites move and are sometimes not kept current but many of them are .edu sites adding to their credibility and increasing their chances of still being maintained in 5-10 years), as well as suggested books for further reading.

I can't wait to put this book to use this spring and think it a perfect birthday gift for my gardening friends.  It is small enough to fit in a tote, sturdy and I like that it has an elastic band closure to keep it from flopping open yet is spiral bound allowing it to lay flat.  I even love the vintage illustration on the front. 

I did receive this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review and am in no way obligated to write a positive one.