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Home Blog Author Interview: Zoë Field
February 25th 2023

Author Interview: Zoë Field

Written by
Floret

I first interviewed Zoë Field of Field of Roses here on the Floret blog way back in 2016 when I wanted to learn more about the farmer-florist movement in New Zealand. I have long-admired Zoë from afar and am dying to visit her farm in person someday.

This past fall (spring in the Southern Hemisphere) Zoë released her first book, Lost & Found, and I was fortunate enough to get a copy to review in advance. Lost & Found is like nothing I’ve ever seen before—it’s like the seek-and-find books I loved as a kid, but made for flower lovers! It’s so wonderful to see Zoë’s unique perspective through her camera lens.

Today, I’m excited to publish a new interview with Zoë and get the opportunity to share about her work and wonderful book with you, which is a must-add to your flower library. 

Zoe Field holding her new book, Lost & FoundThanks for joining us again Zoë, and congratulations on your new book! It’s been quite a while since we last interviewed you—can you give an update on how things have changed since we last spoke on the blog?

Thank you so much for inviting us back. Well, one thing hasn’t changed, it’s still just me and mum working away in the field. I would say the direction of our business has shifted from just supplying flowers wholesale to now creating with our flowers. Whether that be through our event work, local bouquets, workshops, or now our book. The farm is an ever-evolving story—it’s always a surprise the places it leads you. 

Lost & Found incorporates two of your biggest passions—flowers and photography—and is an absolute feast for the eyes! It’s such a joyous, playful book and it was fun to spy some Floret seed packages woven into a few of your stunning images—we appreciate the love! How did you come up with the concept? Did you enjoy seek-and-find books as a child?

Yes, as a child I loved seek-and-find books. They inspired my imagination and play so much. I would get drawn into their worlds as I searched the pages. I wanted to recreate that very same joy I’d felt as a child but with a grown-up twist, incorporating my love of flowers and nature, but still holding onto that playfulness.

I think that the simple act of searching for objects has a way of slowing you down, as if walking through a garden, taking in every little detail. I think that’s the magic of this book. I imagined people revisiting the pages and each time finding something they may have overlooked, the page revealing itself more with each viewing.

It seems like many of these “imagined creative characters” and their lovely vignettes are inspired by your own life. It’s so hard to choose, but I think “The Beekeeper” flat-lay is my favorite. Did you have each character in mind before you created the seek-and-find photo or did they reveal themselves in the creative process? 

I had a list of characters, more than I needed. Many were inspired by my own life, others by fellow creatives around me, like the “The Beekeeper,” “The Artist,” “The Potter,” and “The Musician.” I would walk through the field and the flowers would start to reflect their stories.

The honey-toned roses for “The Beekeeper,” sepia chrysanthemums for “The Photographer,” fluffy peonies for “The Florist,” muddy bearded iris for “The Potter”—their worlds slowly revealing themselves bloom by bloom, in form, texture, and colour. It was very organic in that sense. We collaborated with the lovely Julie Atkinson-Dunn who would take each vignette and write a beautiful story inspired by it, adding another layer to each character.

I know your flower farm and design studio Field of Roses is a true family affair. Was your mom Sue at all involved in the making of Lost & Found?

Mum was most definitely involved, she’s the sounding board for all my ideas. She’s great at helping to grow them, asking the right questions, and she sees things I so often miss. I would start laying out the flowers, weaving the objects in, flower by flower. I’d get as close to finished as I could and then I’d call out to her, “MUM!” She’d be somewhere in the field keeping things ticking along, usually weeding, that’s her favourite (literally). I needed her fresh eyes on it as we made the final adjustments. We were running back and forth from the field getting those last little bits until we were both happy.

I adore all of the color palettes and the beautiful collections of flowers you showcase throughout the book. Do you have difficulty getting these unique varieties since you live in a more remote location? Can you share some of your favorite sources?

This is definitely a book that I could only do now after years of collecting plants from various places. It can be a real treasure hunt here in New Zealand, tracking down that elusive plant you’ve been eyeing in photos from the Northern Hemisphere. I would say it’s starting to become easier with more seed suppliers and nurseries catching onto the trends.

I will give a big shout-out to Sarah Hawkless of Emerden, who I have bought seeds and plants from over the years. She sources the most beautiful ranunculus, anemones, and cut flower seeds from overseas. I feel like she really helped change the flower landscape here, making it that much easier for us to get our hands on those special varieties that we could only ever dream about before.

You’re in the thick of summer in New Zealand as we’re closing out winter here in the Northern Hemisphere. Have you made any discoveries this season that you’re excited about? I’m especially interested to hear if there are any new rose varieties you can’t live without!

Over the winter, we pulled out lots of roses that were underperforming. I said we were downscaling, but we ended up using it as a good excuse to source more. I really want to have a beautiful collection of New Zealand-bred roses throughout the field, so I’m trialing a lot of new varieties from Matthews Roses. Bob Matthews is a renowned rose breeder here, and his plants are always the healthiest in our block.

It’s been a hard season for the roses, so I feel like my new additions didn’t quite get to shine like they normally would. But my all-time favourite of his roses so far is ‘Ziggy’ (pictured above), a multicoloured rose with a golden apricot base and flecks of burgundy and strawberry-red—you can really create some fun designs with it. I have a soft spot for anything with multicoloured flecks—roses, dahlias, zinnias—I love them all.

I saw on Instagram that you teamed up with Flora Forms for a Spring Urn Workshop that looked pretty magical! Can you tell us more about that experience and if you have any upcoming workshops people in your area might be able to attend?

Yes, this season we collaborated on some workshops with Rhonda of Flora Forms, who has a farm about 20 minutes from us. We met at a flower farmer’s conference a few years back and have enjoyed working together ever since. I think all things are so much more fun when you collaborate, it’s the perfect recipe for ideas to flow.

We pitch our second-hand Raj tent and fill it with flowers from both of our farms. Rhonda is a potter and makes the vessels, and mum is a great cook so she whips up a soulful meal for everyone. It’s a beautiful day, yet relaxed and down-to-earth, the perfect recharge.

We had planned for more workshops this season but the weather has been against us, so we now have our eyes set on early Spring and are making plans for September.

Thank you so much, Zoë, for taking the time to share about what you’ve been up to and your beautiful new book with Floret readers. I am so excited that copies are finally available for us here in the states. I know that was quite the feat for you and your publisher and so many gardeners here will be grateful for your efforts. 

To celebrate the release of Zoë’s new book, Lost & Found, we’re giving away five copies. For a chance to win, simply post a comment below telling us what type of book you were most interested in as a child and how it’s helped shape who you are as an adult. Winners will be announced on March 7.

To learn more and connect with Zoë, be sure to visit her website and follow her on Instagram and Facebook. Lost & Found is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or your favorite bookstore.

A huge congratulations to the giveaway winners: Camilla Herold, Erin M, Sarah Tatley, Jessica Marigold, and Jill Green


On February 12, tropical storm Gabrielle hit the North Island of New Zealand, causing gale-force winds, mudslides, and severe flooding which has displaced thousands of people in rural communities. We reached out to Zoë to see how we could help and here is her response.

Cyclone Gabrielle hit our region last week causing devastation to the Hawkes Bay, East Coast, and Northland regions of New Zealand. The scale of damage is beyond anything I have ever seen, so many have lost everything and many are still cut off with no access in or out. The images and stories coming out from these places are truly heartbreaking. Donations can be made to the Red Cross New Zealand Disaster fund or I have a link to a list of various organizations directly helping those in more rural communities.

As for our farm, we count ourselves lucky, our family is safe as is our flower field perched on the top of a hill, however, the river flats of our property were hit by flood waters. My incredible dad has been working hard, opening up road access, moving silt, and rebuilding broken fences and pipelines, we’d be lost without him. There is still a lot of work ahead but compared to others we are incredibly lucky and count our blessings.


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987 Comments

  1. Tyrena on

    The books I enjoyed and from cover to cover were books that could take me to another place or another world right at the beginning. Wow I haven’t been to a book store in a while, I will now! Reading a book online isn’t the same as holding and turning the pages of a book !

    Reply
  2. Leticia Shifflet on

    The type of book I was most interested in as a child was Coloring books and crayons. I loved the smell of crayons and enjoyed seeing them bring the coloring pages to life.

    Reply
  3. Leslie Chan on

    I enjoyed fantasy books as a child and learning that adventure is out there in the world and you can be the hero of your own story.

    Reply
  4. Janet L. on

    Don’t recall whole lot of books in the home growing up. Plus being the second oldest of seven siblings, free time for reading , or any down time at all, was very scarce . But we did manage to spend a lot of time outdoors, running through woods and fields, always carrying a younger sibling on our back. As adult I look back on those challenging days of hauling barefoot little ones on our hips and I wonder where our childhood even went.
    Today my love for nature and growing things is a direct result of growing up searching the treetops for squirrels, gently catching snakes, frogs, fireflies and spiders, picking wildflowers, watching summer storms roll in and counting shooting stars on summer nights. I feel I have this love, respect and kinship with the earth that makes growing things an insatiable need and completely second nature.

    Reply
  5. Elaine Wheeler on

    As a 6 year old my happiest of times in the Panama Canal Zone (where my house backed up to the jungle) was picking wildflowers and ylang ylang blossoms to make my version of Perfume! I would scrub any jars I could find and ask for rubbing alcohol and “marinate ylang ylang blossoms” at that time (and still do!) I had a great love the newly learned skill of reading! The gift from my father of the farm book called “dogs, cats and horses” about a farm inthe US was all absorbing! Not directly related to flowers but the foliage was so interesting compared to my backyard! I wore the cover off that big book I loved it so much!!

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  6. Leslie on

    Inspiration finds me everywhere! Curiosity fuels the fire. Books are a link to a world yet discovered.

    Reply
  7. Monica Kelly Lopes on

    Encyclopedia Britannica to look up flowers in Brazil! It all started because I had to leave behind my magic garden and a mysterious yellow flower, after we moved to an apartment. I was determined to name the yellow fairy flower that smelled so amazing, and turned to the Encyclopedia Britannica, a rare resource at the time in the country. With my garden boots and sweater on, I searched through the pages and discovered that the flower was a freesia. This discovery led to my daily hunt for dozens of other flowers that also didn’t grow in Brazil. Many years later, I moved to Boston, where I finally smelled another freesia. And now, another 18+ years later in California, I grow my list of flowers from Encyclopedia Britannica and many more, thanks to Floret. My Irish mom enjoys the garden, and remembers the flowers because of their scents. She told us recently about the gardens that our ancestors had in Dublin and Galway. She doesn’t recall many things but also doesn’t forget a garden. It all started with that freesia.

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  8. Monica Kelly Lopes on

    My love for books started when I had to leave behind my magic garden and a mysterious yellow flower, after we moved to an apartment in Brazil. I was determined to name the yellow fairy flower that smelled so amazing, and turned to the Encyclopedia Britannica, a rare resource at the time in the country. With my garden boots and sweater on, I searched through the pages and discovered that the flower was a freesia. This discovery led to my daily hunt for dozens of other flowers that also didn’t grow in Brazil. Many years later, I moved to Boston, where I finally smelled another freesia. And now, another 18+ years later in California, I grow my list of flowers from Encyclopedia Britannica and many more, thanks to Floret. My Irish mom enjoys the garden, and remembers the flowers because of their scents. She told us recently about the gardens that our ancestors had in Dublin and Galway. She doesn’t recall many things but also doesn’t forget a garden.

    So, although my favorite book as a child was the Encyclopedia Britannica for looking up flowers, it was my search for that single, mysterious freesia that opened up a whole new world of discovery and connection to my family’s past.

    Reply
  9. Gretchen Luosey on

    Ah, I am old so not many will know Gene Stratton Porter’s books. The Girl of the Limberlost, the Harvester, Freckles, the Keeper of the Bees, Her Father’s Daughter, the Magic Garden are but a few I recall. They all center on Nature and instilled in me a love for the earth which full of beautiful flowers, trees, meadows, fields, and birds. Such a joy..

    Reply
  10. Anita Ink on

    I read everything! It’s hard to pick. I spent summers at the library, coming home with laden arms and bags of books.
    My life plan: explore serious subjects, and garden later; now I’m all in, and building my floral library!
    But my most influential book as a kid was Pilgrim’s Progress (adult version). I wanted to be on that journey, hard as it was. The reward was worth it.
    So I’m happy to say I’m on the journey, and flowers encourage me with the fabulous design and creativity with which they grace our natural world. The reward is worth it.

    Reply
  11. Sarah Jamieson, MD on

    I loved the James Herriot novels, and I so wanted to become a veterinarian. I was a female in Kentucky, and this did not happen because “it is not for a female” as my local vet discouraged me from even volunteering. There are no vet schools in Kentucky and I would have had to apply out of state for a limited spot. Amazingly I went to medical school instead. My dream was always to have a farm. I am 62 and am still marching toward that goal! My small yard is my farm/garden…I have no lawn!

    Reply
  12. Gina Selzer on

    I adore the Mother/Daughter connection in Lost and Found! When my daughter Gretchen was growing up, she would run off with every flower catalog that came in the mail in spring and create the most beautiful collage “masterpieces”. Now that she is an adult she knows more about all things flowers than I do and is now my inspiration.

    Reply
  13. Katie Hetrick on

    The type of book I liked as a child was one that would take me away…and that’s still true today. I was floored by color and the feel and smell of the pages. By the adventures and vivid images I’d see. My favorite was Matilda by Roald Dahl. The young girl created her own life, appreciated the beauty in the world, and overcame obstacles while learning life lessons with a positive attitude and a bit of humor.
    When I read I am transported to another realm and I carry those thoughts with me. I learn grace and gratitude and experience love and magic. There is nothing better.
    Thank you Floret and thank you Zoe.

    Reply
  14. Alexandra on

    My grandmother gave me Anne of Green Gables when I was in elementary school. It inspired me to romanticize the ordinary and helped me to appreciate the beauty of nature.

    Reply
  15. Marcey Keefer Hutchison on

    The book that I couldn’t put down when I was a kid was “Lemonade Serenade, or The Thing in the Garden” by Don Madden. The colors, the characters, and above all, the garden. I’d read the book and then run around in our forest looking for “the thing”. I’ve been to New Zealand four times and each time I go on one of their great walks, I think for a moment, that I may find the thing in the garden.

    Reply
  16. Alexis on

    The pictures are gorgeous! I just loved reading any book I could get my hands on! The first novels I read were by Roald Dahl, and I fell in love with the wild adventures his characters would get up to! Growing up I always found that books were a wonderful escape for me and a way to recharge. This is still true today. Having books that inspire me and teach me new things are always great to have!

    Reply
  17. Alexis on

    Oh my goodness, what a feast for the eyes!

    Reply
  18. Sarah Viall on

    I loved books by Roald Dahl when I was younger! So much creativity was on those pages that he wrote.

    Reply
  19. Catherine Stewart on

    Wow, what an amazingly beautiful book. I’m so excited to view this creation. When I was little, I love reading the Little Bear books. I found that they taught me about friendship and about sharing. Little Bear had such compassion for others and I think reading about his adventures allowed me to know about being kind to others. Cheers for a colorful and flower-filled 2023!

    Reply
  20. Sarah Tatley on

    Congratulations, Zoe, on your new book!
    As a kid, I was always drawn to the Magic Tree House book series – a series about two kids who travel through time in their magic tree house and go on a variety of adventures. As an adult, I think this series I enjoyed as a child has inspired a love for travel and adventure and encouraged curiosity and getting out into the world. It’s funny, the way books read many years ago still have an impact on you later down the line.

    Reply
  21. Tiko Heaps on

    One of my favorite books as a small child was the little critter books. He was always a little naughty.

    Reply
  22. Jennifer Koenig on

    One of my favorite books as a kid was Anne of Green Gables. The way plants and flowers were described in those books made me almost smell them as I read. Anne is still one of my heroes today.
    Thank you for a lovely post and for the fundraising tips for New Zealand.

    Reply
  23. Ed Reed on

    Dr Seuss, A. A. Milne’s books, and cartoons – Peanuts and Dennis the Menace stand out as early reading memories. Helping my dad in the garden are some of my earliest memories. Grandma was a serious gardener, by necessity. I can still see and taste, from memory, the dill pickles she would put up and store in the cellar. My mother remembers that I would crawl into the garden and eat the chives. She remembers smelling them on my breath when I came inside. Now that I am older, in my 70’s, and immune compromised, gardening has been my joy and my salvation – especially during the pandemic, when I was fortunate enough to shelter at home and garden.

    Reply
  24. Lanelle Landry on

    My grandmother always had beautiful petunias and a fence rows of colorful zinnias which she simply called Old Maids. She often cut a bouquet of the zinnias for the kitchen, and I’ve always loved them. One of my favorite children’s books is The Secret Garden. The transformation of the overgrown neglected garden into a beautiful paradise was my favorite!!

    Reply
  25. Jacquelyn on

    As a child, I loved fiction books – stories especially of little girls different from me, living in what seemed like far away places. When nonetheless I could see myself in them too, that was my favorite type of book. I think as an adult it has taught me that we’re all more alike than we appear on the surface.

    Reply
  26. Amy Brown on

    🌱🪴⚘️🌻 Truth be told…. the seed catalogs lol. I could not wait for the catalogs to come in the mail and make lists and then other lists and daydreamed. I know it sounds crazy but we did not have a lot of money so the flowers were inspiration. I would also try painting the flowers in the catalog. 🪻We (there were 6 of us) also loved The Berenstain Bear books. They had fun adventures and lessons at the same time. Zoe Field’s book looks stunning and would be an amazing gift.

    Reply
  27. Rachel Burgoon on

    I was never a big reader until a few years ago but one book I read over and over was a children’s picture book called Emmett’s Pig. I still remember, 30 years later, exactly where it was shelved in my elementary library. The book was about a boy who wanted a pig. He loved pigs and so do I! My mom found an original copy of the book a few years ago and gave it to me for Christmas. My whole childhood I always wanted a pig of my own. We had horses and goats but no pigs. Luckily I married a man who embraced my love for animals (especially pigs) and built me a barn for my very own pigs! I now have 2 Kune Kune pigs (the breed is originally from New Zealand !) Of my own! Maybe it was the children’s book I loved or maybe I was born with the love for animals but either way my love for animals and nature runs deep and I am glad to be reading as an adult!

    Reply
  28. Hedy Zikratch on

    Growing up my books where mostly authored by Margrethe Henry (fabulous horse stories). But I also enjoyed Charlotte’s Web and anything Pooh. Pretty much animals & nature. I think I have often killed my efforts of growing plants with kindness. I look for books to encourage me with words of kindness, like Pooh and empathy like Charlotte’s and with the natural nature that comes with horses. The photography sends me into dreams of creating …. t his is is Erin’s book & I think this beautifully reviewed book now!

    Reply
  29. Paula Lopez on

    My favorite book was The triplets by Carles Capdevila and Roser Capdevila. It was about three little girls who were very naughty and funny but the most entertaining thing was to look for three little mice that did the same at the bottom of the pages.

    Reply
  30. Shelley Geary on

    As a child one of my favorite books was Flower Fairies where each variety of flower was a different fairy. It greatly influenced me to be an active gardener and flower grower. As I learn to grow all the flowers, I truly enjoy reading and learning more.

    Reply
  31. Tammy on

    What a beautiful concept for a book! And way to trudge through everything Mother Nature throws at you with a positive outlook toward the future.

    As a child I loved joke books and books by Tasha Tudor. Her illustrations were a bit like seek-and-find as I tried to discover where the corgis were at. As an adult, I learned she was an avid gardener as well.

    Reply
  32. Erin McIntosh on

    I loved the magic school bus! It taught me to think on all different types of levels, from the seed to the ozone layer :)

    Reply
  33. Sharilyn on

    My mind is not allowing my childhood literature list to surface. The books I read to my children are the titles I currently resonate with and to choose one is a challenge. I have been blessed to have received and subsequently give “I love you forever”. Love conquers all. All we really need is love…As I grow and share love with my world…everything is better for it! Sharilyn

    Reply
  34. Stephanie on

    When I was younger, my favorite books were fantasy stories. I used them as an escape as a child, and now I enjoy all kinds of books, but when I really need to quiet my mind, immersing myself in a fantasy works the best.

    Reply
  35. Mary Foster on

    I was raised on a dairy farm and there were 8 children. There was always work to do so reading wasn’t focused upon except for our school work. However, I was always interested in the vegetable garden and the flowers that my mom grew. I have been a backyard gardener for many years and have passed along that love to my children. My brother and sister are floral designers, so love of flowers and growing things, kind of runs through the family. We just moved to Rhode Island from Central New York and I am having fun learning the new growing season and all of the wonderful flowering shrubs and trees that couldn’t winter over in New York.
    My daughter has introduce me to Floret and is currently taking your course.
    Thank your for all of the wonderful teaching you do through your work. We love it!

    Reply
  36. Lauren on

    As a child I loved The Giving Tree. Growing up I had a tree outside my kitchen window. I named it and climbed it almost every day. I related to the boys relationship to that tree.

    Reply
  37. Karen on

    Unlike many of the other kids in school, I dreaded “library time” because it meant I had to be quiet and read a book full of black and white words that was picked out for us by an adult for homework. So, to make the time pass I would look for the books full of pictures and colorful covers to hold my attention.
    This is how I am today! Over the years I have learned how important color and pictures play into my creativity, jumpstart my imagination and affect how I perceive the world. :)

    Reply
  38. Susie Black on

    When I was a child I had a full set of Beatrix Potter books, and later my mom gave me an young person’s version of an autobiography of her life. I wish I knew where those books are now as they were beautifully illustrated. I had hoped to visit New Zealand in November 2022, but had to cancel my trip due to care for my mom so I spent our late fall and early winter (their late spring and early summer) following a couple who were thru-hiking New Zealand from top to bottom. It was so much fun to see the different regions of the country as they traveled south, and it reinforced my desire to visit New Zealand soon. I just finished the Floret course and it was a splendid experience (although I still have one module to complete – module 4 – sorry about that, Erin – I got a little behind!) Anyhow Zoë’s farm looks like a fabulous place and her book is truly gorgeous with all of those phenomenal photographs. Thank you very much for sharing it all with us and best wishes to Zoë, her mother, and the rest of her family!

    Reply
  39. Angela Martin on

    As a child I loved The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgsen Burnett. Mary’s reviving of the “secret garden” intrigued me and inspired me to love gardens!

    Reply
  40. Debra Browning on

    We were lucky enough to have beautiful illustrated books including wind in the willows, Grimm’s fairy tales, and a compilation of fairy tales and downhome fables like three little pigs, red riding hood, three little kittens, etc., with full color graphics, John Martin’s big book which had beautiful line drawings of fairies, sprites, and mythological characters all in black, white and red ink along with puzzles, games, poems and riddles that kept us occupied for hours. These are treasured tomes that are still on my bookshelves.

    Reply
  41. april wilson on

    My favorite escape as a child was a visit to the Hundred Acre Woods. I believed Winnie the Pooh and his friends were real. I found comfort with Winnie the Pooh as he always accepted whatever came his way. I was a bit partial to Tiger as he was carefree, nothing much could get him down. Growing up in a home where I played the part of cheer leader to all, I really connected with him. Looking at the characters as an adult, I can see how much meaning A.A Milne put into each one. These days, I’m sharing the stories with my grandchildren and they always ask for just one more!

    Reply
  42. Brynn H on

    I accumulated a huge collection of Jan Brett’s books as a kid. I’d get lost in the illustrations, with so much detail including little hidden story lines in the borders of the pages.

    Reply
  43. Ginny Sulya on

    What a fun and beautiful book! As a child I loved the Golden Book Encyclopedias, they kept me absorbed for hours, as well as Tasha Tudor books with their magical illustrations and all the Marguerite Henry, Horse Books from King of the Wind to Misty of Chincoteague, adventure and heartwarming stories!

    Reply
  44. Diane McElwain on

    Another beautiful book! We need to see beauty in times like these. Thank you for sharing.

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  45. Jessica Marigold on

    Growing up as an only child, the books that really resonated with me were stories of a young girl making it on her own. I loved Island of the Blue Dolphins and From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankwiler, for instance. My favorite story I can remember though was called Mandy, about a young orphan girl who found a deserted house in the woods and every day snuck over the orphanage wall to little by little make the house her own. She created a refuge for herself and grew and amazing garden. Little books like this made me feel like it was ok to be alone and every time I work in my own flower garden as an adult I still think of this book.

    Reply
  46. Kim Mineer on

    Such a delight this book is! My favorite book as a child was called “A Child’s Garden of Fairy Tales” my little eyes searched and re-looked at all the beautiful
    and whimsical illustrations- which were from the 1960’s or 70’s! Floral and lovely, with tiny animals and all things nature, this book, is more than likely how I have come to Adore the natural elements, that make up our world. Botanical gardens, floral prints, & paintings or being in woodlands, streams, or ocean, as being outside in nature is what makes me feel at my best.

    Reply
  47. Susan Dempsey on

    I loved big, oversized art coffee table books – I still do! I spent pleasurable HOURS poring over photos of King Tut’s mask and treasures, grand English country homes and landscapes/gardens, Art Nouveau jewelry, horse breeds of the world, illuminated manuscripts, Japanese woodblocks, Persian miniatures, you name it. It influenced me to learn about and honor other times, other cultures, other stories and the enduring human desire to surround yourself with beauty. Today I share and surround myself with garden beauty (and oversize art books!) – I love introducing my favorites to people who have never heard of them.

    Reply
  48. Mary Dunn on

    Loved Little Women- their adventurous spirit and how they followed their passions. Loved The Secret Garden’s mystery and happy ending. I have the book that was in my elementary school’s library-obtained through the proper channels of course. My Mom was a teacher there and she worked it out with the librarian to get the old copy for my daughter- who also loved the book. I haven’t let it leave my house yet! She is 37 years old. ❤️My kids adored the I Spy books. Yet another reason why I am excited to view Lost and Found.

    Reply
  49. Rebecca Coste on

    My childhood fave was the book Gnomes by Wil Huygen. This intriguing book transported me into the secret world of gardens and nature. A wonderful visual escape that my 10 year old self really loved. And I still love this book today!

    Reply
  50. Donna on

    My favorite books as a child were The Little Lost Kitten and The Mystery in the Pirate Oak. My Mom was a kindergarten teacher who started our school’s library in western PA when I was 7, making the passion of reading mine forever. My 3 children inherited my love of books and we discovered the seek and find books when my youngest was born in 1996, and they quickly became her favorite. Now she is sharing that love of reading with her niece Lilly who is almost 2 years old and also loves books!

    Reply
  51. Toni Allen on

    My favorite books as a young girl were the “Little House” books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. The depictions of family, farm, hard work, and the simplicity provided by those values was captivating and really spoke to me. I grew up on a farm and could relate to Laura, and later as an adult pursued having a farm of my own, knowing the importance of instilling that lifestyle and values into my children.

    Reply
  52. Naomi on

    I am intrigued!
    My favorite books as a child were softly adventurous ones like The Secret Garden and The Door in the Wall. The Secret Garden is incredible – the way she discovers the northern garden’s beauty and makes friends with unique people and animals really is inspiring.

    Reply
  53. Cheryl Duncan-Molloy on

    As a child one of my favourites to read were the Chronicles of Narnia, being immersed in magical worlds has always been the best part of reading! Still very much a reader many years later, looking at the world through that magical lense knowing anything is a possibility :)

    Reply
  54. Paige on

    Harold and the Purple Crayon was my absolute favorite. I read it over and over; it sparked an incredible imaginative side of my brain that I credit a lot of my creativity to!

    Reply
  55. Barb Hartle on

    Barb Hartle March 2 2023
    I was the youngest of five children and my older sister would often read to me at night. I don’t recall what books she read but her soothing voice always lulled me pleasantly to sleep.
    My niece lives in and this article has rekindled my desire to visit family in Pukekohe New Zealand and your farm.
    Barb Hartle
    North Vancouver B.C. Canada

    Reply
  56. Rhonda Leach on

    I loved, loved, loved The Little Red Hen…even as a little person I wanted to do my part.

    Reply
  57. Rachel on

    My mom read us a variety of books while we were growing up and instilled in me a love of reading and reading a wide variety of topics

    Reply
  58. Terri on

    I loved The Boxcar Children series as a child. I loved any chapter books with a good plot from a pretty young age. I even ended up naming one of my children after one of the kids in Boxcar Children – not solely for that reason but in hindsight it’s neat to see how that seed was planted. ( No pun intended by the way!)

    Reply
  59. Amber Doig on

    In childhood my favorite stories were Bible stories which my mom read to us at bedtime. When I could read on my own, I loved mysteries, family oriented, or adventure and travel. Our parents were artist and musicians so the house was a creative and free spirited atmosphere. My mom always had a garden filled with flowers and vegetables. She had a golden/green thumb. I use to tell her you could grow anything from out of a rock! It was normal life . It was truly a miraculous journey and we have a farm “finally”, where we grow vegetables and fruit to sell. I always grew flowers just because it is normal life for me. I was introduced to floret and the wonderful world of cut flowers. After reading all Erin’s books, I just finished the workshop course and am preparing to extend the farm into cut flowers. Thank you so much for being so generous with your knowledge, seeds, resources and beautiful flower world.
    Amber Doig
    Heavenly Vibes Organic Farm

    Reply
  60. Debbie McFarland on

    What a stunning book. As a photographer and flower lover embarking on our new flower farming adventure thanks to our Floret class, I can simply just stare at the pages of this book and the Floret books. The photography and lighting is spectacular and the flowers….ahhhhhh. I would have to say that while I loved all types of books as a little girl, I did love books about art the most. I was inside drawing while the other kids played outside. I also loved the magazine Highlights with the best part being the search of the hidden items, simialr to Lost & FOund. Thanks for sharing about this beautiful farm.

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  61. Liz Frisbee on

    As a child, I loved “Magic Eye” books in which there was a very specific color palette and pattern on each page but hidden within the pattern was the general outline of a picture. The hidden picture may have been a dolphin, a person, a landscape, or a flower. It took me a while to train my eyes on how to see through the pattern to find the picture, but once I figured it out I couldn’t get enough! My eye naturally started to see the hidden pictures almost immediately after looking at the colors and patterns. To this day, I find myself noticing colors, patterns, and textures within nature, and amongst animals and people to see hidden, and yet, conspicuous beauty.

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  62. Karen on

    I read everything I could get my hands on. My grandmother lived next door and had a wonderful library of classics. These are still my favorite.

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  63. SJ on

    Novels, everything and anything. I always had a book with me.

    Reply
  64. Karin on

    I am an avid reader. Have always loved books. The physical turning of the pages and the smell. I’m a visual artist, a painter. I’d have to say my favorite books were those with beautiful illustrations and photographs. I still collect tons of books as an adult and I believe it’s an addiction. Lol. Thanks for a chance to win another!

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  65. Debra Whitesel on

    Love all genres of books! We have an extensive library with collections of favorite authors. Especially love Eric Carle as a child. I also have a large amount of pop up books – grandkids love them as well as myself!
    As an adult I read Christian inspirational when all the challenges of living in this world are overwhelming! Devotionals also! Flower and garden books are some of my favs too!

    Reply
  66. Joyce Fowler on

    I never thought of this before about myself. I had no books in the home as a child. But as an adult I can’t resist buying books and have a rather large collection of many different kinds. I am the only one in my extended family who has a library of books. Have been cataloguing them this past year and have 600 listed so far with many yet to go. So maybe not having books as a child made me love having them as an adult.

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  67. Wendyh on

    Winnie the Pooh inspired me to be persistent in what ever I do and always have fun with others doing things I enjoy! Twiddle dee…

    Reply
  68. Susan Hosta on

    While I wasn’t blessed as a child with much reading. I was blessed with a grandmother who always did a garden. Every year there was plenty of Cosmos❤️. I was truly touched by this article as I feel in love with the “Ziggy” bloom. We had a lovely Yorkshire terrier named Ziggy and this summer I hope to have a special garden blooming for her. We lost her last August and our lives have not been there same. She played a lot in the garden so I must seek a Ziggy for her.❤️

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  69. Susan Richards on

    I loved poetry books and landscape photography books. My mom always had them out on the coffee table. It wasn’t until looking back for this comment that I realized how much they had shaped my life. I still write poetry now and then, but photography has become a great love. My friends tell me I should make calendars, but I never really thought I was that good. But I do love to share my love with my friends by posting them on my Instagram page. Thank you, for the look back and the interview. What a beautiful book.

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  70. Holly Atkinson on

    When I was 12, I found Pearl Buck’s “The Good Earth” on my mother’s bookshelf. I was transfixed and horrified by various scenes in the book. It opened my eyes to a vast universe – of other peoples and cultures, as well as profound suffering and injustice. It motivated me to become a physician and work for health and human rights around the world. It’s been hard, painful yet deeply rewarding work. But I get my rejuvenation through the sheer beauty of flowers. It is in the garden that I can nourish my soul and rejuvenate my energy so I can give back to the world once again.

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  71. Marcey Keefer Hutchison on

    Be still my heart. Such beauty in this story, in the flowers, and in the people. New Zealand is like no other!

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  72. Amanda on

    I loved having one story read a night to me from the giant fairy tale book. Each evening was a new adventure. I believe this joy set me up for a love for books which spanned over the course of my life, including present day, and I’m sure the future.

    Reply
  73. Samantha Abeyta on

    My favorite childhood book was Harold and the Purple Crayon. I just loved the idea that a character could create his own adventures, challenges and solutions with just a crayon and a little imagination. I can still see the section of library where I used to find the book as a kid. I looked for it each time we went there. I didn’t even realize the book had words until I was an adult and I bought a copy of it for my own children. :)

    Reply
  74. Jill Green on

    I was lucky enough to have 8 siblings. Every evening each child could choose one picture book to read aloud. That was a lot of books! On the weekends we read chapter books. Our favorites were, The Swiss Family Robinson and The Hobbit. I loved hearing the soft voice of my mother as she read aloud to nine quiet children hanging on her every word!

    Reply
  75. Abigail Grove on

    I grew up reading The Girl of the Limberlost, The Secret Garden, Anne of Green Gables, The Little Princess, Little House on the Prairie and The Chronicles of Narnia, among many others. All of these books have strong young female protagonists that love nature, love learning and creating and best of all, adventuring. That describes me pretty well – thanks to my mom’s literary influence. Now that I have a daughter, and with my sons I’m excited to share these classic imaginative stories with them.

    Reply
  76. Abby Janke on

    I loved Stephen Biesty’s Cross Section books and any of the DK Visual Dictionaries. Accurately drawn, portrayal of the engineered inter-workings… my love of detail and creative inventions led me to become an architect and a farmer.

    Reply
  77. Iris on

    As a child I had a passion for beautifully illustrated storybooks, often old editions from my parents. Some were collections of French (Perault) or German (Grimm) fairy tales from my home countries, but I had a deep fascination for two Russian fairy tale books with detailed illustrations, as well as several volumes illustrated by Arthur Rackham. These books have shaped my imagination and aesthetics, and still influence my graphic creations in their own way today

    Reply
  78. Anya on

    I always escaped by reading as a child. The Little Women was my favorite.

    Reply
  79. Darla Goodwin on

    My favorite book as a child was “A Child’s Garden of Verses”. I also loved the waiting time in my pediatrician’s office looking at the “Highlights” magazine, especially the Seek & Find puzzles! This book looks lovely and I would love to own a copy! Thank you for sharing.

    Reply
  80. Angie on

    I grew up in Poland and when I was a kid there was a series out about a boy and his adventurer father and crew who went around the world and had all kinds of adventures from the Amazon to Australia and everywhere else. It was kind of like the Wild Thornberrys. I loved those books and still remember the stories. It gave me a sense of wonder and made me want to explore the world around me. My grandparent’s garden became my playground for imagining I was someplace from those books and let me live out my adventures.

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  81. Linda Hovgaard on

    When I was in the 3rd grade our teacher read us Charlotte’s Web. I love the fact that the story takes place on a farm and contains important life lessons such as standing up for what you believe in which can make a difference in the world. It was easy to fall in love with the charming characters and the turned pages kept us kids on the edge of our seat. I could not wait for another chapter of Charlotte’s Web to be read. I also remember reading a religious book as a child that I loved that had assorted stories about characters and animals in it. Oh how I wish I still had that book – I cannot remember the name of it and therefore cannot find it again but I remember reading it while laying in the lawn in the back yard and loving the stories within its pages. I love flowers, gardening and the beautiful earth we live on. A copy of Lost & Found would be a magical addition to my collection of gardening books.

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  82. Heidi Oliver on

    I loved all the Laura Ingalls Wilder books and Lois Lenski. Anything with strong girl characters.

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  83. Jennifer C. on

    I was obsessed with Harriet the Spy as a kid, and spend quite a bit of time in my treehouse spying on my neighbors in their back yards. Fortunately for them (and me), they were older folks who did a bit of gardening in the morning and then spent the rest of their day in the house (or somewhere–I wasn’t a very good spy) away from my snooping. although it isn’t related to the book directly, my ‘spying’ led to my love of gardening in a roundabout way no doubt.

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  84. Angela Stephenson on

    Dr. Seuss books with “Oh, the Places You’ll Go” being the favorite! I loved the whimsy, playful nature of these books but also the messages of inclusion and kindness that I have been instilled in my life. These important principles continue to shape my life almost 40 years later.

    Reply
  85. Eileen Flanagan on

    This is such an interesting question and hard to answer! My mom was a reading teacher so reading was a part of my entire life as a kid. I think Winnie the Pooh stories were a favorite. They influenced me in several ways, I loved the sense of adventure that Pooh and his friends always had, whether catching hefalumps or playing Pooh sticks plus they were always kind to each other.

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  86. Amanda on

    I grew up loving Laura Ingalls series and Anne of Green Gables. These we read aloud and we enjoyed all the lessons of character and self-sustainability! Today I’m re reading them to my kids so the next generation can love them too!

    Reply
  87. Michelle Marsden on

    Oh, and my book wasn’t a book, it was my grandmother who shared her flower passion and wisdom as I helped her clean glad bulbs before winterizing when I was knee high to a grasshopper in rural Quebec, Canada.

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  88. JEANNE PETTIGREW on

    Books were my escape into rich worlds of “other” experiences as a child and I do not know how I learned to read before I started school. Without TV and almost no radio, books carried me far away and whetted my curiosity and craving to learn. College classes as a biology major taught me how to truly observe the wonder of the natural world and books were always the most efficient means to gain knowledge quickly. Sewing my clothes led me into fashion design and the significance of color which now is my starting point for any endeavor. My garden is a refuge, guided by color and textures that will survive our drought climate in California.

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  89. Marcia Olsen on

    Favorite children’s books of mine are now in the hands of my young grandson. Of these, Beatrix Potter’s Peter Rabbit was one that I read over and over again wondering what chamomile looked like and its healing properties as a tea. I’ve always been drawn to books on nature and flowers, in particular because I co-lead a group of women arranging fresh flowers every Sunday. It’s been an opportunity to learn the characteristics of certain flowers, their names and their seasons of growth.

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  90. Michelle Marsden on

    Will look for Zöe’s book in Gisbourne ( NZ) tomorrow. I too have the passion for flowers, arranging and photography. We are staying at our friends hillside property (fortunate to have minimal damage to her world renowned garden from cyclone Gabrielle) overlooking Wanuii beach for our last week before we head home to coastal B.C.
    I’ve always been a fan of the incredible variety of N.Z. native plants (awesome in arrangements!) and happy to see organic flower farms. Looking forward to ‘Lost and Found’ and maybe next trip will visit with Zöe. Thanks Erin for ‘sharing’ this!

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  91. Renee Marquardt on

    Wow…such a color explosion! I hope to add it to my collection! As a child, I remember being engulfed in the Laura Ingalls Wilder books imagining the woods and prairie settings along with the cabin interiors. But the Roald Dahl books were so enchanting especially Fantastic Mr. Fox. I imagined the small animals holed up in their dens, the countrysides, the farms and the colorful cast of characters both animals and humans. It was such a wonderful escape; I read this book aloud to my kids who begged me each night to read another chapter. Definitely one of my all time favorites.

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  92. Beth Dixson on

    When I was a child, I loved the Old Mother West Wind books. I loved getting lost imaginative world of nature. I’m sure the books helped inspire the great love I have for all the animals I see around me.

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  93. Laura Baker on

    Beautiful photos and flowers! I guess I probably looked at magazines like Better Homes and Gardens, as that’s what my mother had around the house, not so much on books. We did garden with flowers A LOT though. And now that my mom is gone, I look back on those years more fondly than ever and whisper prayers of thanks that she gave me such a powerful love of all things plants. When I was a child, I hated pulling weeds, haha. Funny how things change.

    Reply
  94. Courtney Clerke on

    What a lovely looking book! Is be delighted to own a copy as I spent hours on end in my Where’s Waldo books. Definitely going to add to my Amazon wishlist😊

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  95. Nancy Johnson on

    Pell’s New Suit, with its gentle pictures of all the tasks a boy did to earn wool, have it spun and dyed, woven and made into a new outfit was wonderful. Lots of animal, garden and childcare done by Pell as he worked his way through summer to get his own new blue suit. And the illustrations were marvelous. It gave a message that a child’s level of work is valuable and taking steps to achieve a desired end is possible.

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  96. Kim Hoffelt on

    Beautiful book! I loved The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe! I found it fascinating that they could enter a wardrobe and into a fantasy land!

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  97. Rose on

    When I was a little girl back in the Philippines around 1973, one of my favorite books was Namcy Drew’s , ‘Password to Larkspur Lane’. I was so intrigued by these flowers, so different from the tropical flowers in my Motherland. That made me start my love for flowers. Fast forward today, I am now a grandmother and living in Minnesota. I have passed on my love for flowers to my 3 yr old grand daughter. She can name a few flowers like zinnia, celosia , vinca etc. Precious moments !
    Congratulations on the new book! And also to you Erin, for your successful business that make a lot of people happy. More power to both of you!

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  98. Kim Hoffelt on

    What a beautiful book! I loved “The lion, the Witch , and the Wardrobe. I just found it fascinating how you can walk into a wardrobe and find a fantasy land! Then to find out when I got older how the Lion represented Christ and entire storyline was a salvation message, that made me like the book even more.

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  99. Virginia Graves on

    Growing up I read many books, mostly novels. I do remember looking at a book my parent’s had which had photos of old masterpiece paintings. The paintings I was especially drawn to where landscapes, nature and flowers. Possibly, this early exposure to art has contributed to my interests in using varying colors and textures in our gardens. Zoë’s book intrigues me with the beautiful photos and the fun title.

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  100. Susie McIntosh 🍎 on

    Oh my heart ❤️ What an amazingly, beautiful book! The photos are out of this world. Well, I’ve had to reach back many decades to remember the books I’ve read as a child. I would take my book and go into isolation in the farthest corner of our apple orchard and climb my favorite tree. I would sit for hours living within the mysterious adventures of Nancy Drew. Such eye openers to the world beyond my imagination. A love for reading to me inspires us to live life to its fullest. Looking forward to my 1st peak into “Lost and Found” 🌹 ~SusieQ

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  101. Robin Prothro on

    I loved Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney and read it to my daughter who now reads it to her elementary students where she teaches in Oregon. Both of us took to heart the advice Miss Rumphius declared we should all do which is “to make the world more beautiful”. I have created a garden out of a neglected mess of bramble along a public path near my house and my daughter has perfected making flower crowns from flowers in her garden which she gives to friends of all ages to celebrate life’s accomplishments. We often talk about Miss Rumphius for being courageous, independent, a life learner, interested in others and inspiring us to make our world more beautiful. It sounds like Zoe Field is the same!

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  102. Karen Runvik on

    My favorite book growing up was….”.The Secret Garden.”… It inspired me to explore the woods …waters and meadows of western New York to find flowers to paint my botanical watercolors .The excitement of finding beautiful treasures at every turn….that became the Secret that Im still loving as I grow ….paint and photograph flowers and the pollinators.
    Thanks so much for a glimpse into your secret gardens and life in New Zeland….Kare

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  103. Jodie Morrison on

    Congratulations on the new beautiful book!
    The title makes me love the book even more.
    Not certain folks would understand why “Where the wild things are” was my favourite childhood book.
    I was mesmerized by my own imagination while i read this lil book over and over.
    Very excited for you both.

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  104. Amy Christianson on

    I loved anything about nature and animals growing up. As an adult, nothing has changed! So excited to check out Zoë on IG and hopefully win her book!

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  105. L. Kriss on

    Charlotte’s Web cracked me open when our teacher read it to my 3rd grade class. I was always in love with animals and the natural world, but as an eight-year-old, that story really opened up my imagination, even more so with animals as sentient beings.

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  106. Kelly Marie Hering on

    I am excited about this new book. When I was a child my favorite book was Charlotte’s Web. I loved the fantasy of the animals talking. I also loved Aesop’s fables. I loved the lessons. My mom also got us an amazing book full of short stories. Classic tales that were condensed. It is still a treasure of mine.

    I still love to read!

    Now I love flower growing and arranging. I’m working on expanding my garden. Thank you for all of the inspiration.

    Reply
  107. Lesli on

    National Geographic was always read cover to cover growing up. Today, I still love looking at the pictures from this great big world of ours and learning about other cultures. Seeing the landscape and beautiful flowers of New Zealand in the above interview is just another way to discover the world out there.

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  108. Brooke on

    As a child the chronicles of Narnia were favorite of mine. The adventure, passing past the unknown, hope, and wonder all struck a chord in me. To this day I still look to the stories with fondness, and the image of stepping into the wardrobe captures something in my heart. I’m blessed and fortunate to be able to homeschool our children and I feel as though that curiosity and hunger for wonder was shaped from books like the chronicles of Narnia.

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  109. Melissa on

    My favorite book series as a child would have been Anne of Green Gables… so many life lessons and learning to observe and appreciate nature. My all time favorite book since childhood would be The Robe.

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  110. Kristine Hill on

    We recently moved from are home of 20 years in the fall of 2021 . There was a little hesitation from my son and my husband because there was a much larger backyard . Well of course we all were excited for a new home but how are we going to keep this yard up ? All I could remember is it took village to help me raise my son . So that’s when I decided I’m going to start a garden of flowers for the village that helped me when I needed them the most ! I never thought I could do it but each night I thanked God for the blessing of my new home and my son and husband because they have helped me figure things out! The book I will always remember that helped me to this day is ( Are You There God , It’s Me Margaret ) 😇♥️

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  111. Carola de Keizer on

    As a child I was given 100 guilders , this was the Netherlands in the 70’s before the Euro, and it seemed a fortune. I bought 2 important books , one to read and one to write in. One was a journal , the other a book about a little person (wiplala was it’s name) that was a friend of the child/main person in book. We see the world through the eyes of this small creature who would fit in your hand. I feel I ve looked through the eyes of this creature for the rest of my life; with a bit of distance, with a lot of wonder and curiosity. The other book, the journal has been used ever since in one shape or another, preferably with a fountain pen.

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  112. Lynne Corbo on

    I was always drawn to stories such as Anne of Green Gables, Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm , and in my later teens, Little House on the Prairie. Even though life had it’s difficulties during those time periods, the simplicity and beauty that surrounded the characters was heart warming. I am always striving to simplify my life and focus on relationships and God’s beauty which most certainly includes flowers !

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  113. Alissa Farrar on

    As a kid I loved reading the Fog and Toad books. Something about the whimsical illustrations always captured me. I just had my first baby and I teared up when I opened a gift that someone had given us, a copy of Frog and Toad’s adventures! I love the idea of the Lost and Found book and think the photography is just gorgeous. (And my daughter’s name is Zoë!)

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  114. Jim Aten on

    Agatha Christie. She was so smart and creative. What an inquisitive and searching mind. They will be reading her books 100 years from now.

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  115. Shari on

    As a child I loved the magic of National Geographic magazine and spent hours looking at the pictures and exploring the world in ways that I couldn’t do in real life. The richness of life in other countries and cultures captivated me. I found colors to be more vibrant and it made the whole universe come alive! I think working with flowers allows me to create my own world of magic for others to explore.

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  116. Eileen Brittain on

    I grew up in a large family (nine siblings!) so there wasn’t a lot of time and no private nooks to read in, but I loved to read. I was hooked on the “Little House” books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Not exactly gardening inspired, but I was inspired by the ingenuity and challenge to carve out a subsistence living in the Midwest in the 19th century. So when my husband and I and our 3 children moved from town to 10 acres and an old farmhouse, we were ready to begin our own adventure. Aside from a few old trees around the house, it was a clean slate. At first we concentrated on vegetables, chickens, goats, turkeys and a beef cow or two but as the kids left home we transformed the abundant space into perennial beds, flowering and fruit bearing shrubs and a peony garden of 150 plants. It’s glorious, but we still keep space for our organic veggies, amongst the ever-burgeoning annual flowers I grow…..many from Erin’s seed.

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  117. Tracy Cameron on

    As a child I loved Felicity from The American Girls collection as well as Black Beauty. The stories of someone winning through hardship or overcoming and figuring out a tough situation was such an inspiration. I am an adventurer and those books carried me away. Plus, they had horses in the story which is an animal I love so very much.

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  118. Samantha on

    I loved the Series of Unfortunate Events books as a kid. I was especially fascinated by the way Violet could tackle any problem by building something out of the materials she had, which were seemingly worthless items such as scrap metal and hair ribbons. Her character has inspired me to be resourceful and innovative.

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  119. Laura Burns on

    No joke, my favorite book was The Secret Garden by Francis Hodges Burnett. I bet I was 10 years old and started drawing out plans for what my own secret garden would look like. I still have some of them. I guess I was destined to be a flower gardener. I also married a landscape designer/installer. So that worked out well for me. We are just moving into a new build with a blank slate and cannot wait to get started.

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  120. Vivian Vu on

    When i was young, kids in school were always interested in Captain Underpants books at reading time. Me – I always preferred I Spy books. And after purchasing my first home with my fiance this past December, now mapping out or vegetable and flower gardens, what better book to add to our collection than an I Spy-esque book about flowers! It’s like coming full circle and satisfying that inner child of mine 😊

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  121. Caitlin Bich on

    I wasn’t a great reader as a kid, but I was always drawn to the books that were also shows or movies. It helped me picture the story and allowed for better reading. Matilda was a favorite! Today I still love the book-to-screen adaptations, but I always read the book first, and almost always think the book does it better!

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  122. Debbie on

    I love love love the book What Is A Whispery Secret? by Lois Hobart, Martha Alexander (Illustrator). It is beautifully illustrated in soft gentle images. It’s a soothing, sweet tale that I love still.

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  123. Julie Woodford on

    The Faraway Tree – Enid Blyton. I loved all the characters and magical details within the story. I read all the series over and over again. It was delightful to read again as an adult with my own children.

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  124. Stephanie Graham on

    Growing up I always loved Dr. Seuss books. I was always little more quirky (still am) and those books really helped me realize that not everyone fits in the same box.

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  125. Maya Williams on

    This looks amazing. I also loved seek and find books (where’s Waldo, anyone?). I almost soley borrowed natural history books, the ones where each was full of pictures on different topics like minerals, trees, oceans, from the library. I think such detail oriented books helped me to continue noticing the little things as an adult- both academically and whilst gardening.

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  126. Debbi Rogers on

    I love looking at the depth of colors in a single blossom. Amazing

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  127. Darcy Lien on

    My most favorite books from childhood were those from Richard Scarry. They filled me with such joy! I would spend hours pouring all my attention into all the minute details and his artistry, allowing my imagination to follow the stories and cast off animal characters. His children’s board book, “I Am A Bunny” remains my favorite book of his. Thank you for the romp down memory lane!

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  128. Emily Dobroy on

    What a beautiful story of love, family, creativity and harnessing the beauty of nature in extraordinary ways. Just beautiful visuals. As a child, I loved books with color and texture- my favorite being The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister. as I got older, I loved to read about unique characters going on adventures in nature and into the great wild. I am still the same as an adult, except now I get to explore the world more.

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  129. Mary Hobart on

    Box Car Children was a book that spoke to me of survival. They were alone but took care of each other. There were five of us growing up. As the oldest I took care of my siblings. Dad was always working, and/or drinking. My mother worked, and when she was home she was in her own world, so consequently we usually felt alone.
    Seeing so many women find peace in gardening I too am starting in that realm. My husband bought me a lean-to greenhouse that we are currently putting up. My seeds will get a little late start but they will grow. And I will have beautiful flowers. Erin, you are an inspiration. I am so glad I found your show and followed it through. God Bless.

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  130. Lauren Jansen on

    I loved The Amazing Days of Abby Haze books! She was always up to something and so was I :) thank you for sharing some of your story Zoë!

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  131. Jody Warner on

    Anne of Green Gables was a particular favorite, but I love reading nearly anything and everything! As a child, one Christmas my parents bought me a set of a dozen books. I LOVED that gift! One of my favorite gifts ever. I love your books now, and get lost in the incredible photographs.

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  132. Tanya on

    My favorite book as a child was The Secret Garden. Maybe that’s what started my love of gardening!

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  133. Sara on

    What a beautiful book! My favorite books as a child were anything that had to do with nature, primarily animals. I also loved those I Spy books so this is a perfect combination of the two books I loved as a child!

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  134. Laura Davidson on

    I loved books as a child, and still do! Nature books, including plant and bird identification, nature crafts, wild edibles, gardening and how to make things were my favorites, story books based on those themes were even better!

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  135. Erin Scardena on

    I loved books filled with photographs of letters formed from the environment. An ‘S’ from a vine. A ‘Z’ from a fire escape. It taught me to look past what was the initial function to find additional treasures.
    As far as reading, I loved The Boxcar Children series.

    Reply
  136. Kathy McBride on

    I struggled with reading as a child. I had to go to tutors for several years. When it finally clicked and I read my first full book one summer I was hooked on reading. I mainly stuck with the Judy Bloom books as a girl, but now I enjoy pretty much anything.

    Reply
  137. Tammy on

    Anything that sparked my imagination for adventure and dreaming. Of course, I loved all kinds of hands on books. The book looks dreamy!

    Reply
  138. Glendora Crawford on

    I also loved the ISPY books growing up! I remember we would take laundry baskets to the library every month and fill it with books; I loved mystery like Nancy Drew or historical fiction such as The Shenandoah Sisters series. To this day, I still love a good children’s book with vibrant pictures and lots of little pictures to find!

    Reply
  139. Lisa Halas on

    I was so intrigued, as a child, by books that demonstrated any kind of art or craft! If it had a flower theme, all the better! Since my grandmother taught me to crochet on her front porch on a hot summer day, I have always kept my hands busy. Painting, gardening, beading, crocheting, ceramics, mosaics, the list went on and on! My love for flowers had always spilled into my art work and I couldn’t get my hands on enough books or magazines that showed me the way to my current craft love! My crafting and love of flowers crossed paths when I became a floral designer straight out of high school…..today, I continue to search out those gardening and crafting books, my eye drawn to anything with a floral theme.

    Reply
  140. Tameka on

    As a child, I loved reading Wayside School books. They were engaging, silly, and mysterious! I think those books helped me to maintain a sense of wonder and intrigue about the world and a lightness as I grew up. As an adult, I enjoy being curious, figuring things out, laughing, and finding joy in little things.

    Reply
  141. Michele Deppe on

    I loved the illustrated horse and pony stories, including Marguerite Henry’s King of the Wind, Misty of Chincoteague, and Stormy: Misty’s Foal

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  142. Marie Anter on

    I loved reading any book about a different place or culture, I always loved learned about how other people live.

    Reply
  143. Brenda Cats on

    My favorite books growing up!!! Too many to choose just one. Top 3: Nancy Drew, Little House on the Prairie, and Sue Barton (nurse series). I always wanted to be brave and outgoing as Nancy Drew but alas that’s not my personality but it’s okay! I lived vicariously through her adventures.

    Reply
  144. Marisol Andrades on

    Growing up my favorite books to read were the V.C. Andrew’s books. I didn’t get into gardening until much later in life but when I first started out with gardening Vegetable Gardening for dummies was my go too. I now have a nice selection of books in my gardening library.

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  145. Farhat Khan on

    Thanks for sharing this gorgeous book in your lovely interview! My Father had a couple of semi-custom books made for me as a cold. What made them special was the names/ references in the stories were mine, our home address, city etc. This was so special & exciting for me as a child. I still have these books & will cherish them forever. I’ve now just finished writing a children’s book “Zara’s Zany Worms” @zaraszanyworms featuring my sweet niece Zara!

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  146. Cath Roberts on

    Mine were Dr Seuss… My ultimate fave was Old Hat, New Hat… And I went on to become a Milliner in my 20’s so I’d say it helped shaped my career choice! I’m now a florist and always have a variety of hats in my car for when I’m setting up onsite. xx

    Reply
  147. Carolyn Studdard on

    I loved my World Book encyclopedias! I learned about flowers, dogs, trees, different country’s flags, all kinds of things! The Cyclo Teacher tool that came with them was such fun.
    Now I need a LOST AND FOUND flower book!🌹

    Reply
  148. Sue on

    My favorite book was a color book. I loved using the colors of my imagination to finish the pictures. Reminds me of the pages of colorful flowers from your books and Zoe’s.

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  149. Amy Reay on

    I loved all books as a child and would reread them over and over. Favorites were Mike Mulligan and his steam Shovel (a nod to my tomboy nature), all of the Little House on the Prairie series (my grandmother gave them to me as gifts that I treasures) and Nancy Drew. I lived for Scholastic book fairs and fliers.

    Reply
  150. Natalie on

    I loved The Babysitters Club books when I was growing up. It was fascinating to learn about all the friends, to see their different personalities on paper, and to watch each friend grow in some way.

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  151. Lindsay on

    I read anything I could get my hands on. My grandma would bring me books from yard sales, I would get books at the library, and when I was lucky I would get to go to the bookstore at the mall (those are long gone now😭). It made me appreciate all types of books! I read the classics, christian fiction (thank you to grandma for her yard sale finds), romance (thank you to grandma for leaving your books laying around your house when we visited), science fiction, regular fiction. If it was printed words, I read it. And I loved it! I still love to read and need to read something every day. My son will only read when he is excited for a book and I search for those books because I want him to love books as well!

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  152. Wendy on

    As a child I loved to read and collect books. I am so grateful to to mother who understood and encouraged me. Some of my favorites were my many joke books. Also, Burgess Bedtime Stories, Adventures of Jimmy Skunk, Unc. Billy Possum, Reddy Fox, and Peter Cottontail. However, my most treasured book Timid Timothy, is a short story about a scaredy-cat whose mother is trying to teach him how to be brave. It was the first time, in first grade , that my mother allowed me to purchase a book from the Scholastic Book Order form!

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  153. Christine Allin on

    My favourites were any of the Gerald Durrell books and of course Anne of Green Gables.

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  154. Brenda Ruckstuhl on

    There are so many but of course The Secret Garden will stay with me forever 💕

    Reply
  155. Susan on

    Ever since my elementary days I’ve been drawn to books spinning tales of people living off the land, whether it was spotlighting the lifestyles of indigenous peoples, or the rugged hardships of early pioneers. This interest has bloomed into a wonderful life on our own homestead! I spend my days raising animals and growing flowers, herbs, and vegetables to make nutritious meals and herbal remedies while also creating a delightful scene. How grateful I am to have access to so much information and expertise of others!

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  156. Emily on

    As a typical 90s kid, I could not get enough of The Babysitters Club books or the Goosebumps series. I didn’t go on to become a super babysitter or have any run ins with monsters or ghouls, but they did instill a life long love of reading. I used to wake up on Saturday mornings and stay in bed reading for hours. Now, I’m lucky if I get 20 minutes of Saturday morning reading before one of my 4 kids comes to harass, I mean snuggle with me. But it’s still part of a good Saturday morning.

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  157. Ann Engfer on

    I love this question! It made me smile as I reached back in time to decide what I would say. My book selection as a child depended on where I was physically and what was happening in my life in that moment. I have always loved reading. I was that kid that stayed up way too late on a school night to read my latest volume. But I would have to say as a very young child, Fairy Tales that included a princess (which of course was me) were my favorite! There were be battles to be won, riddles to solve, and characters to save. Set in a land so far away the only way to access it was through your imagination.

    In a way, my love for gardening is the Fairy Tale I am writing for myself these days. My make believe world spans my own back yard so I am able to immerse myself in a new page every day. I do battle with aphids, still haven’t solved my fungus riddle, and to my chagrin have not been able to save all of the characters in my kingdom. But the best part of all is that my imagination has come alive again with the textures, placement and most importantly color. Oh sure, I’ve done plenty of editing along the way, but every year gets to be my next new chapter and it’s the best book I’ve read to date.

    So alas, I must take my leave of you now to search for a magical plant that includes ‘princess’ or ‘tiara’ in its name.

    P.S. I still stay up much too late to read about flowers. :-)

    Reply
  158. Sue Adams on

    Loved the inspirational interview with Zoe Fields. Her book looks like an artists dream! My favorite childhood stories always had animals and nature in them. Animal Stories, by Thornton Burgess captured my childhood imagination in a big way, with lively stories and gorgeous artwork. Isn’t it amazing how we carry those special memories from childhood through our whole lifetime! Today I am an artist, avid nature lover, and flower farmer. I feel so blessed!

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  159. Laura on

    I loved the Brambly Hedge books as a child, gorgeous illustrations and stories about a community of mice through the seasons in the english countryside. Headgerow life is such an ideal world. I think they led me to be forever enchanted by the seasons with the rituals of growing and nurturing.

    Reply
  160. Beth on

    I loved books about animals: Dr. Doolittle, All Creatures Great & Small, Paddington Bear…
    I still love animals and the delicate dance between all living things created by God.

    Reply
  161. Lisa on

    The books I remember most from my childhood are picture books. One particular favorite that comes to mind is Big Max. He is working to solve a mystery and when people suggest things to him, he responds, “We shall see.” I have adopted that saying in recent years and always think of Big Max.

    Besides that, this book is absolutely stunning!

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  162. Dearborn on

    As a child, I was always drawn to three types of books: fiction, scientific discovery, and coffee table books. I loved the DK Eyewitness books teaching about anatomy, plants, and all things related to the natural world. I also loved beautiful coffee table books about art, travel, and nature photography. And I absolutely devoured fiction books. Two of my favorite fiction books were The Secret Garden and Charlotte’s Web. I still have my original copies with well-worn creases from childhood. All of these books nurtured a deep sense of wonder about plants, animals, nature, and the world. It is no wonder that I grew into an adult who has studied both horticulture and medicine, who loves nature photography, is obsessed with being outside surrounded by flowers and wildlife, and who takes every opportunity I can get to travel and explore the world.

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  163. Jaime K. on

    Oh my!! What a beautiful book!! As a kid I wasn’t really that into books. I lived on a farm and I spent most of my time out doors and with my horses. As I got older I really only read magazines. Once I had kids I discovered that I actually really do love books! And my kids love books! I am trying hard to nurture their love and excitement around books. I love supporting local book stores and I always search out unique book stores when we travel. Currently my 5 year old is really into Where’s Waldo and I Spy books! This would be the perfect book for us to read together!! Her love of hunting/spying and my love of flowers and nature!! 🌸🌻🌷🌼

    Side note….For Christmas I got your books and I must say they are stunning and very informative!!! I also got some of your Dahlia seeds. Hoping for a beautiful Dahlia garden this year!! 🥰

    Reply
  164. Sue Adams on

    Loved the inspirational interview with Zoe Fields. Her book looks like an artists dream! My favorite childhood books always had animals and nature in them. Animal Stories by Thornton Burgess became one of my all time favorites. The stories and gorgeous artwork captivated my childhood imagination. Isn’t it amazing how we carry those special childhood memories with us for life! Today I am an avid nature lover, artist, and flower farmer! I feel so blessed!

    Reply
  165. Norene on

    As a child I was given the book “ A Child’s Garden of Verses” by Robert Louis Stevenson and illustrated by Gyo Fujisawa. I memorized many of the poems and loved the beautiful drawings. My grandchildren are still reading it and memorizing the poems, 60 years later. It has been a real treasure in our family.

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  166. Allison Maxey on

    I love anything horse related (The Saddle Club, Thoroughbred, Black Beauty). I’m a veterinarian now. Those books sparked my passion for animal and their welfare.

    Reply
  167. Sheila on

    As with so many others, I find it hard to narrow down to “a” book that most interested me as a child. It would depend on what part of my childhood. As a very young person, I could not wait to go to the grocery store and pick out a new Golden Book. The Roly Poly Puppy was a favorite. Then came all the Grimm Brothers Fairy Tales. Rumpelstiltskin being one. Than Alice in Wonderland and onward.
    How these stories helped form who I am today……a person cognisant of the struggles in life, a bit mischievous at times, and always ready for an adventure.

    Reply
  168. Megan Godwin on

    My favorites as an early reader were the Narnia series and Little House on the Prarie. Magic + adventure series called to me, and still do! I love an epic series where I have lots of opportunities to get lost in another magical/beautiful time or world.

    Reply
  169. Alexandra on

    I always adored the “I Spy” books as a kid. I could sit for hours just staring at all the little trinkets. I would never get bored. Flowers AND a similar format? What a dream come true! 😍💐

    Reply
  170. Mary Combs on

    As a child I loved Nancy Drew books and still love mysteries as an adult. When raising our two girls our family all fell in love with hide-and-seek books and spent many a wonderful night “finding” things through theirs eyes.
    Zoe’s “Lost and Found” looks like a beautiful book to look thru with my now grown up daughters as we all love flowers yet still love “Where’s Waldo” type books. This book seems to be the best of both worlds and we would love to have it!!❤️🌸💐🌺❤️

    Reply
  171. Deborah Lemmer on

    I’m so intrigued by this book! Such a unique idea!
    Impossible to pick a favorite book from my childhood; just too many I loved. 60 years later, I remember just how much the books I read shaped my imaginative play with friends. I loved every book in the Little House on the Prairie series, Mrs Piggle Wiggle series and Pippi Longtocking and we would pretend to be the characters in those books and bring the magic of those stories into our play.

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  172. Aubrey on

    I loved “The Secret Garden” and the Narnia series as a young girl. Magic and nature – how could they not be favorite things? I now have a small garden business of my own that my little boys ‘help’ with. While their experience is more wormy and dirty than I remember mine being, I love sharing it and seeing the natural world through their eyes!

    Reply
  173. Meredith on

    I just followed her on Instagram!

    I was a massive Anne of Green Gables fan growing up – anything that LM Montgomery wrote, I read it.

    Reply
  174. Kathryn Shelley on

    When I was 7 -8 years old it was Charlottes Web. When I was in middle School it was the Hobbit.

    Reply
  175. Kathy Phillips on

    I’m old enough that the Dick & Jane (see Spot run!) easy readers were a favorite in my early years. I learned to read using them in the classroom and my love for reading just continued to grow. My favorite pastime or maybe tied with my flowers, is still reading.

    Reply
  176. Jane Matthias on

    I loved the book Mandy by Julie Andrews and Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. The books were about a little girl finding joy being outside, appreciating the beauty of nature, despite the circumstances in her own life. It always reminded me then and is still true today, that our own peace and happiness is most definitely influenced by the environments we choose to live in and appreciate.

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  177. Angela on

    As a little girl my favourite book was an Enid Blyton fairy chapter book, I loved the magic within and would often make my own fairy gardens to match the stories. It was the only chapter book I personally owned so was so very special to me, I still have it today Angela

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  178. Anne Brennan on

    Little Women. I realized only through the book, not lived experience, that each member of the March household had a unique individuality and could chart her own course. That was a revelation.

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  179. Becky T. on

    As a toddler, I absolutely loved my heavy & large illustrated Mother Goose nursery rhymes hardcover book, and was impatient with always having to wait for adults to read to me, so it motivated me to learn how to read by myself at a very early age :-) By the age of 5, I could read & correctly pronounce any passage wording in the entire Bible!

    Reply
  180. Karen Carroll on

    Zoe, first congrats on your book , the collage of flowers and color is very inviting , well done. One of my favorite books growing up was Dr Seuss ..Are you my mother? I’m not sure why but I made my Mom read it often . It made me curious about where we live and come from . Thankyou also Erin for sharing this interview as we see the beauty of gardens from all different places . We can all see the beauty in so many places everywhere . Ps I love flowers too!

    Reply
  181. Kristy on

    Growing up … we really loved the Nancy Drew books. They were so well written and made you think. I would love a copy of this book, it looks like a joy to read again and again.

    Reply
  182. Laura on

    What a beautiful book!

    Growing up (and even still), I loved books with magic, from Harry Potter to the Narnia series and Roald Dahl. Any story that could spark wonder about worlds just beyond our reach… or perhaps not, with some imagination.

    Reply
  183. Elaine Farrand on

    As a young child, I loved the Boxcar Children. The siblings were creative, caring, and close with one another. I pretended to be on adventures, just like them. Eventually I read and wrote lots of poetry. Today I pore through quilting books searching for fabrics in rich colors that match my summer flowers. Zoe’s book is absolutely stunning!

    Reply
  184. Lacey H. on

    When I was a little girl I was in love with those bird books from Costco with buttons on the side that would play the song of the bird on the page. I would get so lost in those books and wonder what it would be like to be that bird.

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  185. Brittany G on

    I loved Little House on the Prairie. I’m now watching the series with my four girls and it reminds us to slow down and appreciate the simple aspects of life.

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  186. Zoe D. on

    This book just sings to me! Seek and find for flowers? Count me in.
    I discovered Nancy Drew when I was 8 and devoured every one. I saved my allowance money to buy the next new one- my grandma enabled me with extra chores. I have continued to enjoy reading mysteries. I love puzzle solving and have been inquisitive my entire life,…so much so, I became a librarian. I get to review and purchase mysteries to put into the hands of new readers. Choose a job you love and you will never work a day in your life….. Confucius.

    Reply
  187. Joni M Bunk on

    Where’s Waldo? One of my son’s favorite books as a child! This really reminds me of sweet times in my life as a young mom. I have always loved “how to” books, which I think comes from a very independent, driven sort of personality. I’ve always loved puzzles too which Zoe’s book essentially is… but with beautiful flowers! What a treat!

    Reply
  188. Carmen on

    My favourite childhood books would be the Mandie Collection books by Lois Gladys! I loved the adventures, hair ribbons, and stories of faith. It helped to encourage my walk with the Lord from a young age and as an adult reminds me of the child like joy and adventure of doing life with Him.

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  189. Laurie L. on

    When I was a little girl of about 7, my Dad took me to the library for the first time. He introduced me to the children’s section and then left me to browse to my heart’s delight. I will never forget that day, it’s etched in my memory as a most amazing moment. The day I discovered shelf after shelf of books, and not just any books, but horse books! I came home with Misty of Chincoteague and was instantly in love. I would go on to read every story in the series and then every horse adventure I could find. I found my happy place in the world of books. To do this day, I need nothing more than a book in my hand to be having the most wonderful day.

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  190. Jess Rosenberry on

    I loved story books with pictures like Beautrix Potter. The beautiful nature images inspired my love of flowers.

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  191. Mary M. on

    I loved Chicken Soup with Rice, the Adventures of Pipi Longstocking, One Morning in Maine, Encyclopedia Brown, and Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates.

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  192. Tanya Hooper on

    I loved anything funny! I remember being in 6th grade and crying myself to bed over a funny book. I wish to this day I knew what that book was!

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  193. Kathryn on

    Like so many others I loved Anne of Green Gables. I understood my fellow red head Anne completely. She taught me how to be a fierce and loyal friend and to love with all of my heart.

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  194. Risë Halbakken on

    Lovely interview, thank you! 🌷

    I loved Beatrix Potter little books with all the darling illustrations. After those I enjoyed The Little House series and then Nancy Drew!

    Reply
  195. Patricia Koncsek on

    My favorite book in childhood was The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. First, I would listen tirelessly to my father reading about little Mary’s garden adventures; then, when I finally learned to read, I returned to that magic spot again and again. I grew to love the idea of quaint garden nooks and an interaction with birds close by. Now I cultivate my very own garden sanctuary to share with family and friends during every season of the year.

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  196. Nicola on

    Wow! A seek and find book, glorious flowers and photographs, what more could anyone possibly want!

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  197. Sonia on

    I absolutely loved the choose your own adventure books when I was a kid. Who doesn’t like being able to start over when you hit a dead end?

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  198. KC on

    I loved fantasy books when I was in my teens & still love them. The Princess Bride, Hobbit, King Arthur, Robin Hood. The was always something so magical about them. As an adult the Percy Jackson series, Harry Potter just makes all your troubles fade away because I’m on an adventure in those books.

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  199. Jane Henery on

    As a child I used to love looking at Highlights for Children and finding the hidden objects. As an adult I have hidden art treasures in the gardens and around our farm. It’s always a delight when someone finds one and tells me. Many times the hidden treasure can be a small flower popping up unexpectedly 😊

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  200. Stacey McPhee on

    Nancy Drew. Loved reading mysteries and still do. My Mom was able to find the entire series of books she read as a child that had been borrowed and gave them to me to read.
    New Zealand is a beautiful country with wonderful people. I just returned Sunday night from a month long stay and highly recommend visiting. Here’s hoping for continued recovery from Gabrielle.

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  201. Camryn Clift on

    My favorites were always the books filled with magic and wonder! Harry Potter, Percy Jackson and the like. One that sticks with me now and has turned into a yearly reread is The Secret Garden!

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  202. Peggy G on

    I loved the Velveteen Rrabbit book as a kid. The magic and love of it has stuck with me.

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  203. Lauren on

    The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein stole my heart as a child. It taught me to think about giving and receiving as well as humans impact on nature. We can love the earth and nature immensely while not realizing our impact until it is too late.

    Ironically, my flower farm in Maine is named Lost & Found Farm. I couldn’t help but share!

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  204. Deborah on

    Little Women
    I read this book countless times growing up, wishing I had sisters and that days could be spent domestically surrounded by these amazing women. Joe was my favorite. As I had daughters of my own, I read this book to each of them.

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  205. Laura Kirste Campbell on

    Delightful interview with Zoe! Thank you to all who made it possible to share such a lovely story with us all!

    My father would read the classic Andrew Lang fairy books to us (The Green Fairy Book, The Red Fairy Book). Since illustrations were rare, and only intricate drawings in black ink, my little sister and I learned to use our imaginations. These stories inspired our creativity and opened our minds to possibilities, dynamic relationships, the power of love/beauty/ determination/attitudes/perspectives/justice/patience, race and social class, and many other strong characteristics that shaped who we are today.

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  206. Jennifer on

    I read, and re-read, the Boy Scouts Manual (I’m female). From the book, I learned many camping skills that came in handy over the years.

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  207. Sharon on

    I enjoyed the Black Stallion books as a child because of my love for horses. They do not have anything to do with flowers but I have a great love for flowers as an adult. Several years ago our State Fair did a floral design theme of stories and the one I had to do was “The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe” I read that book and watched the movie so I would be better able to interpret that story in flowers. With the help of my husband we took first place on our design, so much fun.

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  208. Molly Williams on

    My grandmother had a book all about colors and color palette’s. I don’t remember the name of this book but we would sit for hours looking at all the different color combos and dream up outfits, styles, flowers, makeup, decor. It has totally become a big part of who I am today. Wish I had that book!

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  209. Audrey Andrade on

    My father gave me a book to help me appreciate nature- John Muir – The Yosemite. I get lost in it and then I go into my garden and dote on my flowers. What would I be without my garden, without flowers, without trees, without nature?

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  210. Dara Kaleel on

    The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein, was a favorite since it was read to me in grade school. I’ve shared it with my own children and now my grandchildren. Such a powerful story about the love and respect between humans and nature.

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  211. Peggy Wilson on

    Alice in Wonderland
    As a child, the best part to me was when she meets the talking flowers.

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  212. Jamie Thrower on

    As a kid, I loved the book “Chrysanthemum” which was about a little mouse named after the flower and her struggle with learning to love her own name. It was so sweet and empowering and made me want to name everything I had after flowers!

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  213. Laurie on

    100 famous Poems.
    I thick this was a birthday gift from my Dad when I was a pre-teen.
    Reading the descriptions of the natural world, of relationships, and feelings opened my mind and soul to seeing the poetry of life.

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  214. Shana Chisholm on

    This book looks amazing! What a cool idea, and stunning images!

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  215. Amy on

    I loved mystery stories of all kinds: Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, and also read the Little House books many times over. I loved a good compelling story then, and I still do!! What a beautiful book, and lovely interview. Thanks for this chance to win a copy!

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  216. MaryAnn Sullivan on

    Winnie the Pooh has a special place in my heart! Full of kindness and life lifting lessons.

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  217. Nancy Fuller on

    Loved this mother daughter story… it reminds me so much of how my own daughter and I work together… Add flowers to the equation and it makes me long to see their lovely farm!!!

    What could be more enjoyable than immersing yourself in this type of work with someone you love!!! 😄💕

    Reply
  218. Cynthia L Barnard on

    beautiful book! So looking forward to getting a copy into my hands but also into the graceful, elegant hands of a college chum who could have collaborated with you on this entire adventure.. it mirrors her perfectly!

    My favorite childhood books always had gentle fat ponies or horses, fields and small farms and children (like me) with pails filled with something they’d picked or grown or collected..
    …and reflected the dreams of this girl..a wee town kid…

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  219. Judy Ford on

    Any Golden Book. Those simple lessons still ring true.

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  220. Kristen Dorighi on

    I always loved scratch and sniff books as a child! How about THAT for roses?

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  221. lisa on

    Anne of Green Gables. Her imagination and her boldness were so inspiring to me as a little girl.

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  222. Jennifer Mccloy on

    It will always be The lion the witch and the Wardrobe. Showing you just have to walk through that door to a different world full of adventure, not always safe and secure but definitely satisfying. Gardening has given me that, not all choices are safe and sure but giving it a try ,definitely satisfying.

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  223. Jessica on

    My favorite book when I was little was The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear. It was so treasured that I have it in my cedar chest and would bring it out occasionally to read to my kids. I have since found a different copy for the kids to have on their bookshelf. But the Original still stays with me.

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  224. Kim on

    Books that encouraged dreaming in one way or another. Who doesn’t love that????

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  225. Susan Neithercut on

    This book looks amazing, congrats on all the hard work!! I loved science books of every kind growing up, physics, botany, zoology, weather….. When I think about it, I loved, and still love anything about nature. Now, as I start my flower journey, I seek out learning opportunities to better my understanding of soil/soil health, bio-diversity. With great soil you can grow anything :-)

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  226. ana maria rosas silva on

    hola ,soy de chile el pais mas austral del planeta y tambien el mas alejado de todo por ende cuando niña no tenia muchas obciones de libros y menos de informacion ya que las bibliotecas eran escasas y casi nulas en las escuelitas de campo y el unico libro que tenia era alicia en el pais de las maravillas y estaba en aleman pues era de mi abuela emigrante que me lo regalo ,entonces yo al ver las ilustraciones cree mi propio cuento y recien cuando grande pude comprar el libro en castellano y leer lo que realmente decia ,bueno mi realidad de vida es de una niña austral al fin del mundo que constaba con una gran imaguinacion para darle vida alo que no entendia ,saludos cordiales desde mi ciudad de naciemiento frutillar region de los lagos chile.

    Reply
  227. Zhanna Agarkov on

    As a child I love reading and memorizing poems especially about nature. Maybe that is where love for gardening started.

    Reply
  228. Angelina on

    When I was little, I loved fairy tales. I would climb into a magical, fantastic book and stay there for hours at a time, completely wrapped up in the story that I knew I would never live. The thing is, I still love fairy tales. A couple years ago I dipped my toe into the world of flowers, and now they have cast their spell on me, and my life will never be quite the same again. Now I know that every day life for me can be a beautiful story of it’s own, woven throughout with the magic of ordinary days. Now I can get lost for hours in my garden, dreaming and discovering something amazing every day.

    Reply
  229. Kelsi Dean on

    I loved the Little house on the prairie books- their close family, simple life and simple pleasures was comforting to me.

    Reply
  230. Kimberly Manning on

    I love Beatrix Potter books and am so glad I got to become a mom so I could share these books with my (4) kids! It’s the illustrations that really bring them to life for me, but also the beautiful British language…simple yet more complex and with a somewhat challenging vocabulary for young American children. One of my favorite lines from Peter Rabbit when he was caught by the button of his jacket in a gooseberry net: “His sobs were overheard by some friendly sparrows, who flew to him in great excitement, and implored him to exert himself.”
    I mean, can you just picture it? And Ms. Potter’s obviously deep knowledge of animal behavior AND gardening, making her able to conjure such believable interactions. I have a fat brown rabbit in my garden who appeared last year and who I find so charming and so Peter-like that I’m inclined to overlook his destruction of so many sunflower seedlings! Thank you for sharing this beautiful work and inspiring story!

    Reply
  231. Kim on

    I was about 7-8 yrs old & I found the book Misty of Chincoteague. Oh, I read it many times, seeing myself on the back of
    that beautiful horse, flying across the dunes and fields.

    Reply
  232. Patti P on

    I loved coming off age novels that included nature and magic. If it had talking animals that only the protagonist could hear, the more it intrigued me!

    Reply
  233. Amy Gailey on

    I suspect I’m not the only one on this thread who was profoundly influenced by The Secret Garden. I was a voracious reader as a kid (still am) but that one book has stuck with me above all others.

    Reply
  234. Jan Stump on

    Hands down some of my favorite books as a child were the “Little House on the Prairie” series by Laura Ingles Wilder. I loved listening to my mother read the adventures of Laura and her family to me and my siblings. When I got older and learned to read on my own, I loved reading them again and again.

    Reply
  235. L Barber on

    I had two favourite books when I was a child. The search for a zipperumpazoo which had a lot of fun pictures with lots of things to discover. The second was The Star Flower which had a large giant flower similar to a coloured sunflower. These books stuck with me over the years.

    Reply
  236. Peta Alford on

    I used to check out garden design books from the library and spend my time pouring over them and imagining my dream garden. We also used to have a game called ‘the garden game’ and it was our absolute favourite game to play. Having to navigate weather, infestation and poor soil you could lose crops & build up healthy gardens. Wish i could find it again!

    I was also a bit of a nerd and loved reading Charles Dickens as a child and his stories remain a favourite and have shaped my love of the strange, whimsical & down trodden.

    Reply
  237. Annelise on

    Crocket’s Indoor garden was my favorite book to look at with my dad when I was a kid. We grew many houseplants and a big vegetable garden together. I still have my dad’s copy of Crocket’s and it’s the first book my son and I turn to for houseplant questions. The love of growing things passed from generation to generation is amazing and beautiful!

    Reply
  238. Nuala on

    I loved all of the Golden Book series. From their shiny gold spine to the cute colorful illustrations. Paper dolls book of the Kennedy family were a lot of fun.

    Reply
  239. Teresa Casson on

    As a child I loved to get my hands on any sort of how to draw books. My Mother and Grandmother would encourage me to pick up pencils and colored crayons, using the backsides mail and envelopes for paper. Occasionally a splurge would be on colored pencils or chalk, and a real sketch book with sturdy paper. As kids often love to share their art work, I made drawings for gifts to give the adults in my life. Garden blooms and animals were my favorite subjects. Once I found an anatomy book at a garage sale, it had a lovely face with hands drawn on the front, but to my mom’s and my surprise it had more anatomical things than expected! Books with animals such as Winnie the Pooh, The Black Stallion, and Justin Morgan had a horse were favorites too as I became an avid reader. I now carve out a bit of time for creating in my garden and reading books about plants. It is really the photos and pictures that I once, and still can get lost in.

    Reply
  240. Gina on

    Great interview Erin! Thanks for expanding my flower world

    Reply
  241. Michelle Morehouse on

    One of my favorite books as a child was The Story of Ferdinand about a bull who liked to sit quietly under a cork tree and smell the flowers.

    I’ve been an avid flower gardener all my adult life, spending hours pouring over all types of gardening books. I now have the privilege of working with a friend on her flower farm.

    Reply
  242. Rhian Arbuckle on

    The book I was most interested in as a child were all the books with the hidden flaps, I remember going to our local library and finding new books with the flaps and getting so excited, I can say I had one favourite book but loved all of them. I love how they were interactive and different, I think the books have helped shape me as someone who likes to think outside of the box, be a little different/quirky, follow your passions and interests and don’t worry about the crowd.

    Reply
  243. Jessica Patino on

    I always loved East of Eden by John Steinbeck. I read and reread that novel many times. Whenever I felt lost or confused as to what direction to take because of the pressures I felt from adults I always remembered “timshel” and the translation of “thou mayest”. In short we all are given the option to choose our path and the direction we take with our lives. I keep that book close to me even as an adult although it’s been a few years since I last read it.

    Reply
  244. Elizabeth Sammarco on

    Thanks for reporting on the storm in New Zealand – I wish them all a quick recovery.

    The types of books that interested me mostly pertained to nature and gardening to tell the truth! And two very memorable books were Mandy by Julie Andrews (an orphan finds a cottage and makes it her own with found treasures!) and The Summer Birds by Penelope Farmer (children learn to fly). Those books will stick with me forever!

    Reply
  245. Lacey Cossette on

    As a child I loved to read mysteries like the Nancy Drew novels and the babysitters club, hahaha. It helped me get through all my years of babysitting. As I turned into a teen it was more fantasy and memoirs which is a weird combination. My mom was an avid reader and so was my grandparents and aunts so it was definitely passed down to me. This book is absolutely gorgeous!!

    Reply
  246. Jan on

    I was an avid reader growing up and still am! I especially loved the Little House on the Prairie series, The Borrowers, and my favourite, The Secret Garden.

    Reply
  247. Dianna Woodard on

    I loved the Dick and Jane readers with their baby sister and pets, Puff and Spot. (This admission may be dating me !) It was just so exciting to learn to read and I felt proud of myself. I guess this is why I like to learn new things and relive the feeling of accomplishment when it all goes right. I am trying to learn all about growing flowers at this time in my life and it is really exciting!

    Reply
  248. Sheri Bruun on

    Thanks for sharing you time with Zoe with us. One of my favorite picture books as a child, was Caldecott winner, “A Tree is Nice” by Janice May Udry. The picture book had full color illustrations on every other 2 page spread. The colored illustrations are so vivid you feel like you can just walk into them. The black and white illustrations touched me as well. One of those illustrations pictured a hot summer day. I could feel the heat that makes you slow when looking at those pages. In all of the book, there is a reflection of how important nature is to all of us, especially trees. I believe that book and my small town, rural upbringing rooted something in me. . . something nice, just like a tree! This book is still one of my favorites. As an adult and educator, I have shared it with many others too.

    Reply
  249. Pauline McLennan on

    I loved Richard Scarry books as a child, Busy Town, What People do All Day and his Super Silly Seek and Find books, they were all so busy with so much detail in the pictures. I passed this love onto my daughter who has a stack of seek and find books. And I’ll be adding Zoe’s Lost& Found to my list too, the perfect book to combine two of my loves!

    Reply
  250. Glenda Ingram on

    With absolute certainty I can say my favourite book of all time as a child and as an adult is Frances Hodgson Burnett’s “The Secret Garden’”. The story is about the pure magical qualities and healing powers of a garden and those images and feelings have stayed with me all my life. The story has become a part of me as no other story ever has and I’m sure that is why I’ve spent my life trying to create the same magic in my garden for my family.

    Reply
  251. Barbara Haberkorn on

    I loved the magical world of Narnia and learned the importance of friendship, courage, persistence and following one’s dreams. Many lessons to be learned in this wonderful series of books starting with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis.
    I love gardens and painting flowers. Your book looks amazing!

    Reply
  252. Brooke on

    As a kid I enjoyed reading the Bailey School Kids series. They were adventure mystery books that included mythical characters (i.e., Santa, Leprechaun, etc.). As an adult I read psychological thrillers so not much has changed!

    Reply
  253. R Davis on

    My favorite childhood book was Moses the Kitten by James Herriot. The kitten was abandoned by its mother and was raised amongst a litter of piglets! I love the realistic drawings of the English countryside and the farm animals. Zöe’s book is beautiful and I can’t wait to see it in person!

    Reply
  254. Caitlin on

    What a visually stunning book!! I Spy books were favorites of mine growing up and still are, as I’ve introduced them to my children. I also loved Bamboozled by David Legge. The magic was in the illustrations. They were so detailed and whimsical and no matter how many times you read the book there was always something new to discover.

    Reply
  255. Aubrey on

    I used to read young adult fantasy books all the time! I actually got in trouble in math class for reading… Those books reminded me to look for more in everything. There is always a deeper meaning, a chance to find symbolism, and the opportunity to see God’s fingerprints in the “mundane” as long as you are willing to look.

    Reply
  256. Lauren on

    My favorite books as a child were called “the Millie Series” about a girl and her family who were a part of the pioneer days. I loved the adventure, purity of heart and love story!

    Reply
  257. Gaylia Bundle on

    It is lovely seeing contributions from New Zealand, thank you. I’ve been following for awhile now, & love the blogs, photos & inspiration.
    Although my part of the country got off very lightly, the cyclone was very devastating for those in Northland and where Zoe lives on the East Coast. From this blog Zoe, I am going to look for your book here in NZ. Kia kaha

    Reply
  258. Jen Waite on

    “The Secret Garden” was and still is one of my favorite childhood books. The peace and regenerative quality of a garden spoke to my soul , even though I didn’t realize it at the time. Today, my goal is to always create a garden that brings peace and beauty to myself, my family and all those around me.

    Reply
  259. Karola on

    My favourite books were the Enid Blyton Magic Faraway Tree and Wishing Chair series because they were filled with magic and adventure. I used to close my eyes before I went to sleep at night and wish with all my might that I was magic. I think it made me grow believing that magical things do happen, it got me through some pretty tough years. I have loved reading since I was a child and still adore books. Zoe’s book looks magical! Her farm and the photos are gorgeous and I would love to visit one day.

    Reply
  260. Marie Madsen on

    I loved to find old fairy tale books from the rare thrift stores back in the late 1950’s. So much imagination in the stories that made me curious about the natural world. I ended up getting a bachelor degree in biology and plant pathology and love studying anything related to earth science.

    Reply
  261. Stacie Armstrong on

    As a child I would walk to the library for my grandmother who lived with us. She was a veracious reader. I was allowed to take out six books, so it was five for her and one for me! I loved American and English literature like The Great Gatsby, Wuthering Heights, The Scarlet Letter and Treasure Island. I learned that a book could feed the soul and take you on an adventure. As an adult I still love to read, although there doesn’t seem to be as much time. I believe that reading fueled my love for learning and being able to really listen to people.

    Reply
  262. Kristin Eichers on

    As a child I fell in love with Black Beauty. It may have been my first window into animal cruelty, and for sure it inspired me to love all animals and care for them.

    Reply
  263. Jennyka Wassermann on

    My mom is from Norway and growing up she would read us the Swedish author Elsa Beskow. The illustrations are completely magical, where children play in forests live in hollowed trees, discovers flowers, scavenge for berries and befriend animals. Children of the Forest features the sweetest mushroom capped children, and in The Flowers Festival fairies heads are surrounded in flower petals. I could look at those images and my imagination would take me straight into the forest.

    Reply
  264. Patricia DeGagne on

    I loved Nancy Drew books and to this day still enjoy a good mystery .

    Reply
  265. Cassidy Bos on

    My favorite book growing up was “The Sunflower Parable” by Liz Curtis Higgs because I loved to see the little boy’s passion for spreading beauty through nature and planting seeds.

    Reply
  266. Leigh Shannon on

    As a young child I was into poetry. My parents imported a hard cover, glossy page poetry book for me from America – big deal back then and super expensive too. I still cherish this book with its gorgeous watercolour drawings. Gardening didn’t happen for me until I bought my first home, Mum and Dad aren’t gardeners – they paid a gardener lol. I got my love of gardening from my grandad who had 2 acres of gardens no fruit trees. Gardening is my first love ❤️. I live in NZ and can attest to the wrath borne by cyclone Gabrielle. Truly devastating and many many months, if not years of toil to fix Some people will never get back to pre Gabrielle and every donation, no matter how small will be greatly received.

    Reply
  267. Kathy Aspenwall on

    Charlotte’s Web was my favorite book as a child. Fern and Charlotte both had such kind hearts and helped save Wilber’s life. That really made an impression on me as a child, and as an adult, I try to make a positive impact on others.

    Reply
  268. Marianne on

    My favorite book as a teen was The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady by Edith Holden. We moved from Nebraska to Oregon and I was able to explore and find local flowers to press, sketch and paint with watercolors. I can still taste the intense sweetness of the wild strawberries growing in our field on the edge of the forest.

    Reply
  269. Jenny Schmitt on

    My favorite books seem to have been those with strong female characters doing things outside! I LOVED Pippi Longstocking and Heidi especially…they were always doing the things that other people didn’t think were a very good idea (like running around outside in the grass with the goats and other animals), but in the end those were the Best Things to be Doing. I’ve spent most of my life trying to become them.

    Reply
  270. Helen R on

    As a very young child my favorites were picture ‘books’ of FLOWERS and PLANTS. My mom was an avid gardener and was always bringing home horticulture related magazines and catalogues that I saw as books. I don’t remember being able to read descriptions, but I loved the pictures and my mom let me pick many of the flowers she planted. Oddly enough I was never disappointed that the actual flower was never as perfect or dramatic as what I had seen in print, rather I was always so proud that we had grown what was once just a picture. To this day I absolutely love what I call my ‘plant porn’!

    Reply
  271. Kathleen on

    I loved most books but especially biographies. There is much to learn from others and I’m still reading and learning lots every day!
    This book looks lovely and one I definitely need.😊

    Reply
  272. isabelle on

    horses (i were in love with this animal so beautiful, sensitive and intelligent) books, with a lot of pictures because i draw them and i looked a british series on a farm with horses “folly foot”….otherwise my sister red me thousand timessss “la chèvre de M. Seguin” the goat wants her freedom….voilà:)

    Reply
  273. Charlene on

    All books with colorful, artistic pictures were (and still are) my favorites. Each picture can provide so much interest and enjoyment.

    Reply
  274. Isabella on

    The little house on the prairie books and Beatrix potter were definite favorites but it’s hard to choose🙈 (epically when your a book worm!) From little house a love of the simple life and living off the land, living outside as much as inside. Form Beatrix potter a love of nature and animals. That whimsical, playful, and sweet view of life weaves through many things I do, floral design, painting, writing, journaling, and gardening!

    Reply
  275. Cynthia Green on

    Little house on the prairie by Laura ingalls wilder.
    What a sense of adventure and exploration! So much freedom to roam! And the chores and growing their own food captivated me!!!

    Reply
  276. Kelly Ozrelic on

    I absolutely loved Walter Wick’s I Spy books as a child…the recognition skills I learned from them really helped in Art History courses in college!

    Reply
  277. Marcia on

    My favorites were the Nancy Drew series. Wasn’t much of a readern though, because I was more likely to be found outside on my many adventures!
    I was a flower farmer in Vermont, retired to North Carolina, and miss it terribly! This book is absolutely breathtaking! I must have it!!!

    Reply
  278. Christel Ertel on

    I have always loved to read and the highlight of my week as a child was my trip to our library. While a Nancy Drew mystery always held my interest, I truly loved those pocket-sized Golden Field Guides. I would pour over the pages and then head outside to try to locate real-life examples. My favorites were the trees, wildflowers, birds, rocks/minerals & butterfly/moth guides.
    Thanks for a most enjoyable trip down memory lane!

    Reply
  279. Caitlyn on

    I really enjoyed reading the secret garden. The name of the book sounded enchanting to me, but the message had a even greater hold on me in the long run. I see life to be lived in the moment with joy, and not to worry so much about the future or things that I cannot change. There’s magic in the world around us, and I see this with my children when they play. When I garden I think about this book. I want to create a place that is full of wonder and allows you to escape from reality for a little while.

    Reply
  280. Gail Glover on

    Ps Wynken,Blynken, and Nod one of our favorites from Rudyard Kipling. Please reread his poetry.

    Reply
  281. Val Myrick on

    Loved all the Mary Poppins books. Magical and English! Of course, eventually I found The Secret Garden – also English -and fell in love with primroses and snow drops. They are in my garden today.

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  282. AmyEversole on

    Probably the first book I read was the Secret Garden, but I loved the imagination behind James and the Giant Peach

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  283. Judith Noble on

    Graham Oakley’s Magical Changes showed me how to look at things in many different ways, and how dynamic things can be.

    Reply
  284. Karen Doherty on

    I was enchanted by the book The Color Kittens as a child. It was a large book about kittens who painted everything…it felt like a whole world was in that book. I’m still enchanted by color every day.

    Reply
  285. Crystal Clark on

    I just liked reading and enjoyed lots of different subjects of books. Non fiction especially.

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  286. Heidi Bucci on

    My favorite book was Anne of Green Gables. I loved Anne’s independent and adventurous spirit!

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  287. Gail Glover on

    I’ve always loved The Velveteen Rabbit and Rudyard Kipling’s writings. My daddy would stand at the foot of my bed and recite his Rubicon verses.

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  288. Becky Jarvis on

    I liked the magazine teen because I loved seeing the girls with snow beanies on because they were always so cute

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  289. Keith on

    I liked the Hardy Boys Detective Series books. I always liked surprises, figuring outs things & who done it mysteries & still do. They were an exciting outlet as a boy.

    Reply
  290. Ginny on

    I was a huge fan of the Ramona Quimby series. She was always a bit anxious, very curious and getting herself into trouble at times – attributes that I definitely possess. That curiosity has stayed with me and is what has driven me to explore and pursue many different things in my adulthood. Learning about Zoe Field through your Instagram is especially timely as I am closing on a property in NZ today and am excited about the prospect of visiting her farm in the future. I’m also hoping I can visit your farm as I roadtrip through WA state this summer! Looking for inspiration as I foray into flowers!

    Reply
  291. Theresa S on

    Lost and Found is beyond beautiful!! I love this format and can remember hours of joy shared with our kiddos as we searched the pages for all manor of wonders!!! Thank you for sharing such an amazing duo. Anyone would be blessed with such a treasure.

    Reply
  292. Terry Perry on

    I grew up a middle child of 9 in a large Irish Catholic family in eastern Washington. My mother loved to garden but was allergic to fresh flowers, so we seldom had fresh flowers in the house. If I wanted to enjoy the flowers that I loved so much, I needed to venture out into the neighborhood to investigate. I loved to read as a child, but we didn’t have a lot of children’s books when I was young, but the one investment my parents made was in a set of World Book Encyclopedias. I know, very boring, lol! But the encyclopedias opened up a whole world of where things grew, far away lands, flowers, insects and bees. I would travel the neighborhood on my bike, or walking to school and bring home my treasures of sticks, flowers, rocks and bugs. Arriving home, I would pull out the encyclopedia and begin my research, losing myself in the pictures and words.
    These small investigations have continued to fan my curiosity and love of learning into my retirement. I have now retired from my full time job at the university and in the last year have worked part time at a local flower farm and taken a bee keeping course and started my first hive. I still rely on wonderful, beautiful books to learn and enjoy the natural world, sometimes missing pulling out those heavy volumes and getting lost among the pages of the old World Book.

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  293. Kylie Carman-Brown on

    I was into The Magic faraway tree and similar. Anything that allowed me to escape reality!

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  294. Lorraine Rose on

    I loved Robert Louis Stevenson poems, especially A child’s garden of verses, and the land of counterpane! This book looks dreamy!!

    Reply
  295. Charrie VanVleet on

    My favorite books have been many, but I can honestly say it was to seed catalogs, with the pictures of the flowers that drew my attention. I grew up with a mother who loved flowers! She had many many many many in her gardens, A to Z. She has been my book! She recently passed, and I am so grateful for all that I learned from her, I too have many many flowers in my gardens today and have passed this on to my children.

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  296. Josie on

    I loved my Dads Encyclopedia Brittanica set 😂 I would sit there and just pour over them looking for new information!

    Reply
  297. Bailey Wagner on

    I loved old fairy tales. My grandmother had these giant old books she would read to us from. Some of them (looking back now) were kind of scary but I loved them all the same.

    Reply
  298. AmyChristine on

    Childhood book favorite was anything by Richard Scarry! I spent many afternoons pouring over BusyTown, fascinated by the different careers and homes that were shown.

    Reply
  299. Eileen Tumelty on

    The secret garden a novel by Frances Hodgson that helped heal children both mentally and physically. Probably influenced me to become a nurse. I also have always dreamed of growing flowers a dream I am at last achieving and would love love love to have a walled garden with a secret door.

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  300. Peggy Dlugos on

    “Highlights” children’s monthly magazine. I always went to the lost and found page first.

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  301. Victoria Crocker on

    My favorite book growing up was ‘The Secret Garden’. My Mom would read it to me over and over. I was an outdoor girl and spent hours in the woods and along our pond with my dogs. I built forts and dug clams and found arrowheads. The concept of a secret garden always intrigued me. Also the healing that could be done being outside in nature. I went on to create a large plant nursery on Cape Cod MA after college and then after 23 years, moved to Florida and I am now a Landscape Designer creating with tropical plants. This book looks beautiful and I would love to own it.

    Reply
  302. Lisa Edelhuber on

    I loved Child Craft books which were like encyclopedias for kids. I especially loved the one on nature & space. I just couldn’t get enough of it. That’s probably why I was outside all day long exploring nature. Flowers, bugs, rocks…ALL of nature! Maybe that’s also why I’ve always wanted to grow flowers & create with them.💖🌸

    Reply
  303. Joyce Doenges on

    As a child I most often read books that shared the stories of girls in the position of solving mysteries or having grand adventures. I would live out those adventures on a little plot of no man’s land that was next door to my home. Filled with a small creek, wildflowers and an abundance of trees, I would wile away the hours being the main character in my own adventures. Today I aspire to the same adventurous goals of having a bit of no man’s land (in my backyard!) filled with wild flowers and trees!

    Reply
  304. Shelley Robillard on

    When I was young I found a book of poems on the bookshelf on the bookshelf in our family’s game room. It is titled “Favorite Poems Old and New.” It is a large collection of poetry and short essays “Selected for Boys and Girls” by Helen Ferris. It was published in 1957. It has collections organized into sections with titles that children can totally relate too. Many things are by famed poets and authors, and many are by authors, that are probably famous, but I don’t necessarily know who the were other than the works that appeared in the book.

    Anyway, this book really introduced me to poetry as a child and it is one of my most cherished books. I pilfered it from my parents bookshelf early on (it resided in my room after the initial finding) and has travelled with me ever since. It’s pretty cool that a book published 66 years ago, that also contains writings from WAY earlier than that, is still pretty relevant today.

    From Belgium: TO THE SUN FROM A FLOWER
    Guido Gezelle (translated by Jethro Bithell

    O Sun, when I stand in my green leaves,
    With my petals full of dew,
    And you fare forth in your splendor,
    My blossoming heart looks to you.

    When, on the red dawn throning,
    The world at your feet you view,
    Forget not the little flower
    That waits and watches for you.

    Reply
  305. Diane Astarita on

    As a child I didn’t get read to regularly. My mom had 6 children of all ages to take care of. I’ve always loved fairytales and still do. I read them to my daughter and still read them to myself.

    Reply
  306. Lorraine Zaenger on

    I loved reading Janette Oke and Beverly Lewis’ Amish based fiction books that involved “English” people finding Amish friends and falling in love with each other as well as Janette Okes Canadian West Saga series. These books were often my way of separating from my time as a teen and just being able to set myself as a outsider looking into the story and watching it unfold. I love to read and I believe that reading at such a young age has helped carry my love of books into adulthood.

    Reply
  307. Thea on

    I’m thinking, wouldn’t it be wonderful to have a cut flower business with my mother or grandmother or daughter? I know so many gardeners who learned the magic of growing gardens from their parents, and grandmothers especially. I cannot think of a better gift of knowledge and joy to pass down through generations. I have one granddaughter that is very keen on learning about gardens and all things natural. That makes me so happy. I encourage others in include a cutting garden in their garden plan. Mine is only a long, narrow 4’ x 20ish’ rectangle parallel to a pathway on the side of the house. With the exception of herbs, it’s all flowers from seeds (mostly Floret :-)) ) and it’s pretty low maintenance, surprisingly. I save jars and glass bottles and leave simple arrangements by the mailbox for neighbors and walkers as they go by. I usually get the jars back with sweet notes and sometimes they are filled with what’s in their gardens, or lots of herbs. Flower love united us – family or strangers. Thanks! t

    Reply
  308. Christie Shaw on

    My favorite book as a child was A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. My 7th grade teacher read it out loud to us and then I read it myself over the years. I was so enraptured by Francie’s love of books and the time she spent on the fire escape under that wonderful tree. It made me love books and nature. And made me love reading books while sitting in nature!

    Reply
  309. Beth Steyer on

    I always loved being read to along with my sister by my mom who as a young woman taught school in a one room school house in South Dakota. There are so many favorites, among them being the Dr Seuss books, One fish two fish red fish blue fish, Green Eggs and Ham. Millions of Cats another and all the little Golden Books. Later on in elementary school Charlotte’s Web was an all time favorite.
    Reading all the comments brings back so many memories of great children’s books!
    New Zealand has always been a place I would love visiting. Lost and Found by Zoe Field really makes me want to go there. Thank you for all your good work!

    Reply
  310. Mary Ellen Deane on

    Growing up I had a fascination with fairies and woodland creatures. My favorite books were written by Thornton Burgess… my imagination went wild for the woodland images he created and that came to life on the pages. As well I loved the Beatrix Potter books…the magic they created for me still exists today. I have shared this passion with all my grandchildren. I love nothing better than to create a fairie/ woodland environment I’m my gardens and property to enjoy the adventures as much as I did.

    Reply
  311. Lisa Brock on

    My mother told me to plant a lilac bush outside my kitchen window! Always love that memory! My lilac bush is over 30 years old and goes up to the second story of our home! My favorite books included the “Mrs. Piggle Wiggle” series because I loved her kindness and the magic! Planning to read those books to my grandson and to grow sunflowers with him this summer!

    Reply
  312. Colleen Miezejeski on

    I loved any book that would take me along a process of learning; make your own whatever book.

    Reply
  313. Charlotte on

    What a delight to see these beautiful, vivid photos. Thank you for sharing them, along with your interview introducing Zoe, her mum and dad.
    There were many childhood books that entered my imaginative mind. Being more visual, I loved books with pictures, and if they were lacking, instantly created my own. Black Beauty, Grimm’s Fairy Tales, Secret Garden, The Bobbsey Twins, Charlotte’s Web, and Nancy Drew Mysteries, are a few.
    Thank you again, for opening our eyes to the endless variety of God’s creation.🌺

    Reply
  314. Erin B on

    Escape through reading has been central to my personhood since a very young age. One book in particular that captured my imagination, moved my soul, and instilled in me a wonder for the healing space of growing things is The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. I still describe things as “wick” from the character Dickon Sowerby. I have dreamed for decades of creating my own secret garden and am now finally beginning to bring one to life!

    Reply
  315. Susan Corrieri on

    Some things never leave us. For me, “Where the Wild Things Are” by Sendak remains the most vivid childhood story and inspired my imagination, as will this book. :)

    Reply
  316. Kim on

    When I was young, my Mom had a set of leather bound books that had Aesop’s Fables in them. They had beautiful illustrations. I loved those books.

    Reply
  317. Rona Zevin on

    It hardly relates to my passions for photography and gardening, but I devoured a series of books which I call the Maida books from, I think, the 1930’s, , about the adventures of a little girl and her friends who live together in the little house. I still have them. They all have mysteries which are still my favorite books to read.

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  318. Molly S. on

    The photos in this book look so incredibly lush and beautiful. I loved books that were clever. My favorite childhood book was The Phantom Tollbooth because I thought the places, characters, and story were so creative and silly.

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  319. Liz French on

    I loved Snugglepot and Cuddlepie by May Gibbs.
    They were cute gumnut babies, friends with all the Australian bush folk and always trying to be kind and helpful.
    The illustrations were so colouful and beautiful, using the flowers and leaves as their clothing and was set amongst the gorgeous bush scenery.
    My love for bringing flowers together to create beautiful bouquets and delivering kindness and love to my customers has led me to be a florist today.

    Reply
  320. Karin Johnston on

    Fantasy books were always my favourites as a child and honestly I still love the genre. I stumbled upon the Narnia books in our small school library and was entranced by the beautiful world CS Lewis imagined. LOTR followed, I think I read that series when I was 12. Another stand out for me was the Secret Garden, the first time flowers and magic reeled me in to a beautiful story. I’ve watched the movies based on that book almost as many times as I’ve watched Growing Floret 💐

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  321. Donna on

    I was a Sci-Fi nerd. Ended up majoring in physics, getting a Ph.D. in Materials Science, and doing aerospace materials research. Books are important and I’d love to have a copy of this one!

    Reply
  322. Rhonda on

    I have always loved mysteries starting with the Bobbsie Twins. Yes- I am older😉. I think mysteries relate to gardening a lot. I am always looking for a surprise in my garden and figuring out what is it and how long ago I planted it.

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  323. Nora Carson on

    During my Childhood, my Parents bought and read many books to me! The Secret Garden was one of my favorites! I read Nancy Drew, Golden Books(including The Golden Encyclopedia), Beauty & The Beast, all the Winnie- THE POOH books, Walt Disney’s Secrets of Life, and Alice in Wonderland! I still have many of them. My Mom also had magazines from her era which had beautiful pictures of Flowers to grow where we were located. All of these made me as an adult, an avid reader and a lover of Gardens, Animals, Seashells, Art Glass and the Friends and Family in my life.

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  324. Linda J. Walker on

    My mom took us to the library every week during summer break. And the result was I would rather sit and read than go outside and play. I think I read every Nancy Drew mystery book, some more than once. Years later, when I became interested in genealogy, it was the pursuit of the mystery that pushed me to research my family history.

    Reply
  325. Ellen on

    I was a horse nerd when I was a young one, and devoured every book on the subject to learn all I could. This love of discovery continues as I pursue every new interest! My bookshelf contains treasures about gardening, sourdough and flowers, and I would LOVE to add Lost and Found to my collection! Thanks for blessing all of us with your beauty!!!!

    Reply
  326. Lori Twietmeyer on

    Growing up, I loved the illustrated books of fairy tales and faraway places. Magical. When I was young I dreamed of being an illustrator of those beautiful children’s books. I became an art director of publications, seeking out and surrounded by many talented photographers and illustrators and still enchanted with gorgeous books. In life and garden, it has always been about the visual details for me.

    Reply
  327. Hannah on

    Your question was a fun one to think about!
    I was one of those kids that stayed up until 2 am reading, trying my best to hide it from my parents who didn’t want a zombie daughter the next day. I was a strong personality but lacked confidence; I would devour stories with a strong female character, gaining inspiration and learning from the women they were written about, whether or not the stories were actually true.
    I’m still a strong personality, at times I still struggle with confidence, and I still have to fight to get to bed at a decent hour, probably because my house full of littles is quiet and I have time to read or think (though now I can’t be zombie mom, so the incentive to sleep is stronger). But those stories stuck with me, and I still revisit them often.

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  328. Tania Larsen on

    Moomin – a whimsical little character from Finland is my all time favourite kids book. I didn’t have it as a child but I have read them over and over to my children. The books are illustrated so beautifully and the adventures are often a bit dark and mysterious but always end happily. I grew with lots of golden books, that I would choose instead of lollies on grocery shopping trips and my favourite one of those was where the girl found a little sick duckling without a mum and made a little nursery to help it survive until it was better and she could find its family. Your Lost and Found book looks incredible. I have been trying to grow just a small garden patch of Emerden seeds (so amazing!), and to see them in full bloom in your book would be perfect. Also have a beautiful rose given to me by and elderly neighbour that smells so delicious your nose gets lots in it. It’s from cutting she got from Government house in Russell, it’s supper hardy so if you ever want a cutting just say. Fingers crossed for winning your beautiful book…. X Tania.

    Reply
  329. Kelsey on

    What a beautiful interview!! And the photos are lovely :) the book that most interested me as a child was Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak… It’s good to be wild and and let loose!

    Reply
  330. Claudia on

    I’ve been passionate about books, especially those with beautiful illustrations, ever since I can remember. I had to wear leg braces overnight for a year when I was three to correct a foot turnout. The only way my parents could get me to put them on at bedtime was to buy me a new Little Golden Book every day, which they’d read to me as they strapped the braces on. By the end of that year we had quite a collection, and I’d spend hours lying on the blue carpet in front of the bookcases upstairs in the hall outside my bedroom, immersing myself in their worlds. My parents saved those books for their grandkids, and I remember the surge of joy when they brought the box of Little Golden Books down from the attic for me to share with my daughters, lifting out each title and remembering how they made me feel.

    But if I had to pick two favorite childhood books, they’d be “Tom Tit Moves House” by Molly Brett and the Tasha Tudor illustrated version of “The Secret Garden” by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Their depiction of the magic of nature was contagious. Small wonder that I’ve been a passionate gardener as an adult, who has to have my hands in the dirt among my plants, listening to the warnings of chipmunks and the birds’ call and response every afternoon, to count it a day well-spent.

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  331. Katie on

    I loved to read historical and regular fantasy. I remember laying in the hammock for hours and reading during the summer. I think these genres taught me to develop my imagination and increased my own desire to create beauty in unlikely places :)

    Reply
  332. Cindy Tardif on

    as a child I was enchanted by the Flower Fairies of the Summer book. Also, I loved The Secret Garden story and how it depicted a transformation of nature and its effects on people, thus my joy of sharing flowers began. 🌹💕🌻

    Reply
  333. Suzanne Bonne´ on

    My favorite book when I was very young was a Golden book called, “Snoopy, the Nosey Little Puppy.” Must must have read it 100 times. I got my first dog at age 6, a beagle and I named him Snoopy. When I discovered the “Peanuts” cartoons, I thought Charles Schultz named Snoopy after my dog. I’ve loved dogs all my life. Had many. About 20 years ago I decided I loved Bull Terriers and read up on them. I was so sad to realize they would be too much for me. I could never leave them alone all day. They need entertainment and will create their own if you don’t provide any…with hilariously terrifying results. So I thought one day I’d like to write a story about one instead. Well 20 years later I wrote it and illustrated it and hope to have it ready to show a publisher this spring. Some dreams never die!

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  334. Mary Jean Berg Buford on

    The Hardy Boys mysteries took me on adventures far away from the hard work of our small truck farm and produced a great reader as an adult.

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  335. Laura Sullivan on

    As a child (and still,) I loved any book about animals. (Winnie the Pooh, Peter Rabbit, Corduroy, Little Bear, etc. , Especially stories that featured their homes and communities. I found them magical!

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  336. Brooke Hoffman on

    I actually struggled to enjoy reading as a child. I wanted to be outdoors playing and exploring. My father was my 3rd grade teacher and my mother was a readaholic. She took me with her to our tiny little public library week after week hoping I would be interested in checking out a book. Nope, but I loved the seek and find in the Highlights magazine and was content looking at that every time. Black Beauty made it home with me a few times, but I eventually fell in love with reading in college, but still have a designated shelf for my children/grandchildren full of seek & find books. I also have many flower books that I sit and peruse with my grandchildren and this one would just amp up the fun we’d have exploring flowers together. Win or not, I need this book.

    Reply
  337. Leilani Norton on

    My favorite book as a little girl was Beatrix Potter’s book Peter Rabbit. I loved the illustrations of Mr. McGregor’s garden and imagining Peter hopping through the rows of carrots and lettuce, munching as he went along. Now that I’m grown up, I have my own garden full of veggies and flowers along with an apple orchard and berry field. Peter would love it!

    Reply
  338. Deborah Ream on

    The type of book that shaped who I am today is not a book but a magazine, “National Geographic”. My grandmother had a bookshelf full of them in the leather-protected cover. I would empty one out and flip through the pages mesmerized by the pictures. The place one in particular that caught my eye was Palenque Archaeological site in Mexico. I used to dream of walking around exploring all of the ruins at the site and listening to the Howler monkeys. Years later I made a bold move that would take me to that very place. I’m still in awe of that experience and have been so fortunate and grateful to have visited such an incredible site.

    Reply
  339. Christina O on

    Choose your own adventure books or OG American Girl (when it was first created by the school teacher who wanted history to come alive to young girls). I guess I wanted to find myself lost in time periods and places that would challenge my way of thinking. This book looks amazing and is sure to connect our flower world with newfound imagination!

    Reply
  340. María Samaniego-Taylor on

    My favorite books as a child were Dr Seuss’ books. I loved how they were written. They sounded like a melody to me as a child. The melody of the books were very soothing to me. But my most favorite of the Dr Seuss’ boom was the Dictionary in Spanish and English. I read it from cover to cover so many times! Growing up in a bilingual family, it helped me with both languages.

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  341. Karen Goodman on

    When I was little, I loved the lion, the witch, and the wardrobe series. I have yet to read them again as an adult and I imagine they will have very different meaning, but at the time it felt like such a fantastical world or beauty

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  342. Morgana on

    I loved to read/be read fairytales.

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  343. Amy on

    As a child I loved “From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler”, the thought of running away and spending the night at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and then solving a puzzle involving art and history was very appealing!

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  344. Sara Wilson on

    When I was little, I was drawn to romantic books like The Secret Garden, Magic for Marigold, and Anne of Green Gables. Any time there was a description of a lovely garden, I was instantly hooked and enamored by the story. It was thrilling to me to read about each precious girls’ adventures in their gardens and it filled me with such joy. We lived in the country and I would go out into the fields and pretend I was the characters, perfectly happy amongst the flowers. I remember sneaking out of bed at night to find my mother’s gardening catalogs, flashlight in hand, to find the names of the plants I read about, just so I could see pictures of them and imagine what they would have looked like in the stories. These worlds I read about have deeply impacted me as and adult, and when I am out in my garden, I’m often swept up into thoughts of these ethereal worlds and feel true peace and happiness.

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  345. Lisa Cockerham on

    I have loved to read ever since I was a child. And as a child my absolute favorite books were books about horses. Probably my favorite was The Black Stallion.

    Reply
  346. Tara Street on

    My favorite series of books to read as a child was the adventure series “The Boxcar Children.” I read dozens of them! I loved creating forts in the woods with my brother and sister, and the magic of living together in the boxcar and solving mysteries was right up my alley. We would pretend we lived out in the woods just like the boxcar kids did, and those are some of my favorite childhood memories.

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  347. Michelle T on

    My favorite is the “Three Little Pigs” story, not only I loved the memorable story but I also played the youngest pig role in a play during my kindergarten graduation! I think it has shaped my beliefs that dedication and hard work pay off and are worthwhile. As I get more mature, I realized there are times we focused on immediate pleasure, or instant gratification; there are other times, we just needed to have the control to postpone pleasure to do what is right, or looking at the long-term benefit.

    Thank you for the opportunity, it’s a beautiful book! Congrats!

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  348. Karen Lenore Davidson on

    The Bee Man of Orn is about accepting people for who they naturally are. Maurice Sendak illustrations. The “languid youth” stood out forever in my mind. I have always loved stories of people coming from distant places and finding a new home and new ways to live. Flowers take most of those same paths into our lives. This book looks beautiful and will be fun to share with my grand daughters.

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  349. Susan on

    I was a voracious reader as a child and carried home stacks of books from the local library. My favorites were books about far away places, and I loved the details about life in an unfamiliar land. I became an exchange student to Japan at 16, and I went on to get a degree in International Studies. Now in my 60’s, I continue to travel whenever I get the chance.

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  350. Amy Shearer on

    I loved all sorts of books as a child (and still do!). Some of my many favorites were: Nancy Drew, Chose Your Own Adventure, Encylopedia Brown, anything by Roald Dahl or Beverly Cleary, and of course – The Secret Garden. One of my favorite books ever was this book called The Adventures of the Black Hand Gang. There were was a story on one side of each page and a picture on the other. You had to search the picture for clues to solve the mystery. And there were four larger mysteries in the book so each clue built upon the previous clue. I loved that book so much that I found a used copy as an adult so my own girls could enjoy it!

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  351. Sarah Tate on

    My favorite book that I remember so vividly from my childhood is the story called “sleeping dragons all around”. It’s is without a doubt the cutest hardcover, with rhyming phrases and hilarious adaptations of what dragons might be like if they existed. The book also culminates to the point of a little girl sneaking through the sleeping dragon maze to find that last piece of chocolate cake in the fridge. Absolute genius. I loved this book so much as a child that by age 5 I had it memorized from listening to my parents read it to me every night. It shaped me as I grew and reminded me to always go for what I want – because anything is possible! Even if it’s just a piece of delicious chocolate cake. 😃

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  352. Susan Beaumont on

    The first book that I remember and treasure is The Golden Book of Fairy Tales. Flowers and jewels enwrapped the opening letter of each fairytale and sumptuous paintings embellished each page. I studied those images for hours and I know that they inspired me to love art and to embark on a watercolour painting journey –and to find magic in story and nature. I went on to study English literature in university and a book I fell in love was The Englishman’s Flora by Gregory Grigson –all the wonderful references to flowers and their homes in poetry and prose brought together the two worlds I love–words and images, art and nature. The same professor directed me to the most lyrical phrasing I know in literature: “A green thought in a green shade” from Renaissance poet Andrew Marvell in his marvel-lous poem “The Garden”. My fairy tale book is even more special to me because my father who didn’t make much money in his work as a young police constable in those days spent most of his paycheque on this book. Over the years, my childhood copy’s binding weakened and pages were lost or crayoned over by my little sister. I can still remember exclaiming out loud when I found this book again in a wonderful bookstore in Yellowknife in Canada’s Northwest Territories. It was truly finding an old friend again. To win a copy of this exquisite new book. Lost and Found, would bring such joy. I would pore over every page and every word. Its title alone has lit something in my spirit. In watercolour, lost and found edges, edges that are defined and other edges that are soft and diffused and part of their surroundings, petals lost (and found) in woodland greens. Thank you so much for this opportunity to remember and to cherish what I love!

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  353. Cristina Seaton on

    Oh boy, there are so many good ones that I remember…like Charlotte’s Web because of my love of animals. But my fondest memories is running to the mailbox every day after school to find the brand new Breck’s of Boston flower catalog to arrive! My mom and I would gaze over every single page to plan out our dream garden…even though she knew they couldn’t afford much, she would always surprise me with a few packs of seeds to sew each year. My mom and I still talk about flowers almost every day…they have always been apart of our lives. Thank you!

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  354. Abbie Oscarson on

    My earliest memory of my favorite book is Thumbelina. The book was a gift to me from a family friend and is was a pop-up version of the storybook. It was a children’s addition and it had bright beautiful illustrations of flowers and creatures that literally popped up in a very 1970’s way! I wanted to be Thumbelina and live in the flowers, fly on the back of the swallow and experience nature up close as she did….
    I still have the book on my self and its illustration’s still inspire me to “live amongst the flowers and birds”! I love my flower garden and invite all the creatures great and small to enjoy it as much as I do….. count me grateful, living in amongst the flowers!

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  355. melissa sherowski on

    I had a book called The Secret Garden, that I was obsessed with. I have always loved books about the transformative qualities of being in nature and tending to living things. As an adult, I look to nature and growing things to nurture and transform myself.

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  356. Paula Olivares on

    As a little girl my mom would always read us some beautiful stories to my sister and I before heading off to bed. One of them was especially dear to my heart which is called Basket of Flowers. When trying to come up with a name for our flower farm I knew we needed to call it Basket of Flowers Farm after that Childhood book because of what the book was all about. It was about standing for the truth no matter what it cost you. To say that that little book has influenced my life is an understatement! I mean here it is the name of our flower farm and I go back to the foundation of that book many a time! I now am a mother to 4 Little girls and I enjoy reading touching stories and character building books to them daily. I hope and pray that these stories that are read to them make a huge impact on their lives as my mothers time reading to me did on mine!

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  357. Erin on

    Harry Potter was my favorite series as a child. I was about the same age as Harry when the books were being written and published so I really grew up along side him in his magical world. I now have the greatest pleasure of reading the books to my young kids!

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  358. Sandy Carrasco on

    I loved all the Shel Silverstein’s books like Where the Sidewalk Ends. The silly funny poem’s always brightened my day. When I had children it was fun to read them again and see them smile.

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  359. Kira on

    Such a lovely post and what a beautiful interview!
    Thank you for sharing.
    As a child, I really enjoyed Slavic folklore stories. My mom is Russian and my dad has Ukrainian roots and I speak both languages and loved reading in both as a child. The stories are full of creatures, nature and good always wins. My Ukrainian grandmother used to tell me the stories in the garden full of beautiful food and always flowers. Dahlias were her favorite!

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  360. Hannah Arentzen on

    My favorite type of books as a kid were mysteries. I loved staying up late into the night reading The Boxcar Children, A to Z Mysteries, and The Magic Treehouse. I think it has helped shape me into a very curious, thoughtful adult. I notice details and pick up on people’s body language and am always interested in knowing people’s stories.

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  361. Mary Jane Landau on

    I read The Wind in The Willows, when I was young, and loved imagining floating through the marshes and tall grass. Recently, Where The Crawdad’s Sing , had a great second story of how nature adapts to waterways.

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  362. Jill Tinius on

    I had every single Ispy book and would read them almost every night as a kid with my dad. Excited to see this! Amazing!

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  363. Megan Kim on

    As a child, my favorite book was Charlotte’s Web. I loved the farm animals as friends and the tempo and seasons described in the book on the farm. I’m trying to capture that feeling in my garden with flowers and beneficial insects. (Urban area so no sheep or goats here.)

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  364. Anne Richen on

    My favorite book was Mr. Willoughby’s Christmas Tree. I have searched high and low and was able to round up a few copies for my great nieces and nephews. It really is a sweet story that makes you think of how one person’s trash can be another’s treasure.

    Reply
  365. Liz Dioszegi on

    As a young girl, I loved the Laura Ingalls Wilder book series. Little House on the Prairie was about a family living off the land and foraging what they grew in order to live. Life was simple and their daily chores appealed to me. This is still true for me now that I am an adult and grandmother.

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  366. Katy Ann Davidson on

    I loved most of the books mentioned by others…especially the Narnia series and The Secret Garden. I read a lot of poetry as a child and when I saw your question, this poem sprang to mind…
    “To see a World in a Grain of Sand
    And a Heaven in a Wild Flower
    Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
    And Eternity in an hour”
    ~ William Blake

    Reply
  367. Jennifer McClendon on

    I loved the Bed Book, an imaginative book of different kinds of kid’s bed ranging from an ice cream shop bed to a plane bed. Also, anything by Rohl Dauhl. I’ll have to think how these influenced me as an adult…maybe influencing my creativity and being able to imagine what could be created!

    Reply
  368. Maddy on

    I loved the Madeline book series! My name is Maddy so I always had an easy time pretending I was her. Those books shaped my love for Paris for one. But, they also informed my tendencies of being spunky, confident, and a go getter.

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  369. Anne Kelly on

    Probably the free Sears catalog …. going through it cutting out pictures and creating matching and coordinated ensembles.

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  370. Marcella Tyler Ketelhut on

    A Tree Grows in Brooklyn was my favorite book. And my fav part was when this little girl, who seemingly had nothing, would sit on her fire escape with a little glass of water and her books with her tree as her companion. She had the whole world. Plants. Books. Imagination. The best: “Francie held the books close and hurried home, resisting the temptation to sit on the first stoop she came to, to start reading.

    Home at last and now it was the time she had been looking forward to all week: fire-escape-sitting time. She put a small rug on the fire-escape and got the pillow from her bed and propped it against the bars. Luckily there was ice in the icebox. She chipped off a small piece and put it in a glass of water. The pink-and-white peppermint wafers bought that morning were arranged in a little bowl, cracked, but of a pretty blue color. She arranged glass, bowl and book on the window sill and climbed out on the fire-escape. Once out there she was living in a tree. No one upstairs, downstairs or across the way could see her. But she could look out through the leaves and see everything. …

    Francie breathed the warm air, watched the dancing leaf shadows, ate the candy and took sips of the cooled water in-between reading the book.” A Tree Grows In Brooklyn. By Betty Smith. Ahhhhh. Fun reliving this memory!

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  371. Carol Strange on

    My favorite book as a child (and still now in my 88th year) was (and is) ‘The Secret Garden.’ It combined a bit of mystery with a bit of horticulture which I have always loved. When I was about 4 years old my mother gave me a little spot in her large garden for my very own. I had fun placing little plants (and sometime little weeds) in my special spot and taking care of them. When I was old enough to read ‘The Secret Garden’ I felt that it had been written just for me!

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  372. Maddy Fulcher on

    I loved the Madeline book series! My name is Maddy so I always had an easy time pretending I was her. Those books shaped my love for Paris for one. But, they also informed my tendencies of being spunky, confident, and a go getter.

    Reply
  373. Melissa on

    I enjoyed biographies which helped inspire me to become the person that I have. I also loved Anne of Green Gables immensely.

    Reply
  374. Anna on

    Can’t wait to check this book out! When I was young, I loved choose your own adventure books. I guess being a grown up is one big choose your own adventure (except that you can’t go back to the last chapter and choose a different route like I used to with the books!)

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  375. Ruth Scheer on

    My favorite was A Child’s Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson. It helped me imagine a world beyond mine in the city and made me yearn to live on a farm. My father was a keen gardener and did his best in our urban environment but any holidays were happiest when we visited friends and family in more rural settings. I would have sweet dreams of flowers and would grow up to have a garden of my own in a small Maine village.

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  376. Bev Doig on

    As a child my favorite book series were Enid Blyton’s series about the Magic Faraway Tree and the Enchanted Wood. The books sparked so much imagination and my sisters and I enjoyed the characters and the Tree changing its blossoms and all the things it grew! Read the books to our children too and will pass them on to grandkids hopefully one day. The Narnia series too has influenced our lives and brought joy in so many ways.

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  377. Jackie Brown on

    For a few years of elementary school we had a book award for the academic achievement – and I won! Black Beauty, Little House on the Prairie and Anne of Green Gables, with a beautiful bookplate inscription, inspired me to be an avid reader. It was magical to immerse myself in these imaginative worlds of girls, families, situations so far from my own, and opened up my mind to ever expanding genres of reading. I also loved reading my mom’s cookbooks and gardening books, and absorbing as much information and inspiration as possible, including the Latin names of plants and flowers, and the care and attention required to become a grower of vegetables and flowers, and the techniques of grafting and espalier, etc. To this day I can lose entire days to amazing books by brilliant authors and creators, and I have realized that while I can’t do everything, I can experience a lot through other people’s fascinating lives and pursuits.
    Thank you for giving me the opportunity to reminisce and dream before I head off to my pottery class.

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  378. Dawna Bankus on

    I didn’t like to read as a kid. I did like to listen, my mom would read to us when we were sick. I remember I loved the book Heidi as it is that I remember her reading to me.

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  379. Jacquie Wierenga on

    I loved Beatrix Potter and the secret garden, and still do, as a young mom I read every book to my children,& as they had children each received a volume of Beatrix Potter’s collection beautifully boxed,& a set of her dishes , I have more than one of her beautifully illustrated books,& what intrigued myself and what I still do with all 12 of my grandchildren to make it intriguing, I encourage their imagination to put themselves in the gardens of both, Jacquie

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  380. Kerena Reinhold on

    The Secret Garden was my favorite book, I would play outside for hours creating my own secret garden in our yard, and I called it my “property.” Now, my husband and I are working hard to find our own property to build our own farm/garden, and I’m so excited to get to work on it someday.

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  381. Anissa on

    My mother handed me Anne of Green Gables when I was 11 years old. It didn’t sound all that exciting by the title and I was pretty sure I wasn’t going to enjoy it but I was hooked. My mother was really great at choosing books that were age appropriate and may contain tidbits to store away for life in general. – Now I’m all about soaking up all the Gardening books I can get my hands on. :)

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  382. Anne Gustafson on

    Hello, what beautiful work! My childhood favorites are Grimms’ Fairytales, The Lord of the Rings series, anything about fairies, and a picture book called The Seamstress of Spitz that I can’t find now but that I remember had ornate detailed drawings of very fancy princess/queen dresses which I loved.

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  383. Mary Nash on

    I can’t remember a time when I didn’t love reading, and do to this day. As I child, I read whatever I could find. My two favorites were HEIDI and THE SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON. As an adult and teacher, I’ve loved children’s picture books. One of those favorites is THE ROSE IN MY GARDEN by A. Lobel, both for the wonderful text and quite lovely flower illustrattions…

    Reply
  384. Kelli on

    I loved the magazines of National Geographic my grandmother would received. I can remember times of her babysitting me before I was old enough for school and loved flipping through the pages. Also other books about animals and all the different species were probably my favorite, not only did they provide information but colorful illustrations and photos of animals which fed my creativeness and artist side. We also had a lot of educational (textbook like) books for children I can remember learning about why the sky is blue and different weather patterns. I think those books help nurture of sense of curiosity about how the world around me worked and lead me to pursue a degree in chemical engineer. Now I’m a homemaker and stay at home mom that lives in the country where my husband and I are starting our own little farm. We are surrounded by nature and our neighbors farm animals and even through I’m learning country life is not easy (my husband grew up in the country with a farmer father) I love seeing the beauty in the simple world around us, how everything works cohesively to thrive and how hard work provides opportunities for things to grow.

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  385. Ellen van Wees on

    What a beautiful book Zoë! And glorious farm. I fell in love with The Magic Pudding stories by Norman Lindsay in Australia. I loved that Australian flora and fauna were celebrated in books. Being an expat in CT, I loved paging through the I Spy books with my son. It was always hysterical fun to see who found an item first. Thank you Erin for sharing Zoë’s book and stunning floral farm, reading this interview made my week!

    Reply
  386. Abby on

    I remember always getting Magic Tree House books from the school library as a kid. I loved those adventurous stories and the magic that happened (cue my later obsession with Harry Potter), but they also presented real facts and history in a way that was so beautiful and interesting. I don’t know if these books shaped who I am or if they were just an indicator of who I’d turn out to be – a scientist that’s always dreaming up big things for her home and garden!

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  387. Nicky Pine on

    I was most interested in books about horses as a child. Living in a city I had a huge passion and little access to real horses so these books, fiction and non fiction sated (somewhat) the yearnings of this love. Then, in a blast of blinding white light (haha), I was an adult, and spent many years keeping horses and travelling with them. Flowers and painting are my passions now.

    Reply
  388. Keziah Harris on

    I loved Narnia! and I still love it. It has shaped my life in many ways. It’s taught me to look for magic in my life, to be brave, to conquer fears, to overcome doubt, to find purpose and determination in my life. Narnia has shaped a lot of who I am today.

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  389. Emily on

    I loved the Magic Tree House books as a kid! I think they helped me learn problem solving, to persevere, and a desire for adventure. In a short amount of time, you could read about Jack and Annie’s latest adventure and a problem they had to solve there. They were books about kids reading books, going on adventures, and solving problems!

    Thank you for sharing this book; I’m not sure I would have found it otherwise!

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  390. Paula Norman Goldsmith on

    My favorite books as a young girl were the Betsy-Tacy books by Maud Hart Lovelace. They take place in the late 1890’s and the early years of the 1900’s. Even though their lives were so different then, compared to my 1950’s childhood, I still related to the themes of friendship and growing up. My favorite style of fiction now is Historical Fiction. At first, I was reading lots of WWII fiction based on true stories and real people. Now I’m branching out to other time frames and just finished “Horse” by Geraldine Brooks-simply amazing book.
    I will be starting seeds for my summer cut flower garden soon. I hope the sometimes 100 plus summer degrees here in CA will not negatively affect them too much. Thanks for this chance to win a beautiful book!

    Reply
  391. Sharon on

    This is such a fun question to think about! I loved Nancy Drew books. I read the ones I had over and over. Nancy was so clever and confident! It helped fuel my love of investigating and problem solving! Also, this is not a book but I eagerly awaited the arrival of Sunset Magazine every month and read it from cover to cover! Back then it had a lot of crafty “how to” projects as well as gardening information…all the things I love now!

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  392. sandy on

    Such a fun interview! I love that Zoe and her mom work together. When I was younger I loved the Mrs. Piggle Wiggle books. I still do! She’s a woman that loved and understood children. She came up with creative ways to help parents with parenting. As an elementary teacher I’ve always read these stories to my students and they love them too.

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  393. Noelle Barlow on

    I would read anything I could my hands on when I was young. Readers Digest from the neighbors, second hand paperbacks even the newspaper. (As soon as the adults were done with it of course!) But my favorite that I went back to time and again was a set of encyclopedias we had in our home. I was never disappointed when I would pick up a volume , close my eyes and open it up to a page to read. I had the world at my fingertips!

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  394. Cassie on

    My favorite series was The Mandie series. She was a young girl who solved mysteries and went on different adventures. I was a shy kid and just loved imaging different adventures. I think I also loved the challenge of trying to figure out the solution of the story. Not entirely sure how it’s shaped me. I think her kindness to people is what shaped me. She met a lot of different people along the way. And she always treated them with respect.

    The pictures above are lovely!

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  395. Allison M. on

    I’ve always been an avid reader. It was my way of escaping and adventuring as a child. I read everything I could including The Wind and the Willows and Winnie the Pooh and then as I got a little older it was James Herriot’s series about being an English country veterinarian that really became a favorite. It gave me this love for animals and nature that has filled me with so much joy as an adult.

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  396. Stacey on

    I liked kid detective books like Encyclopedia Brown & Nancy Drew. I think that shaped me to become the curious person I am today. This seems like so much fun to search through my favorite things, flowers!

    Reply
  397. Brenda on

    I read many books as a child, but I was definitely absorbed with National Geographic Society magazines the most. I would get stacks of them from yard sales sometimes. The photographs and stories really opened up my mind and made me realize there is so much to learn and explore. I still read them today.

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  398. Anthea on

    Zoë’s book is beautiful! Thanks for the interview!
    I loved reading as a child! The Princess Bride was definitely one of my favorites and I can’t deny that I’ve read Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings multiple times over. Books were gateways into another person’s world for me. I’m a therapist now so I get the same experience but it’s someone verbally sharing their world!

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  399. Dottie DeMarco on

    Although I read over 100 Nancy Drew books and have collected dozens of gardening encyclopedias over the years. The book I recall MOST as a girl was Penelope Strawberry and River Radish! That book fell apart I read it so many times! Who knew gardening and flowers would become a lifelong passion. And I would be turning it into a small side business with hopes of paying it forward.

    Absolutely LOVE what you do Erin! (Your books are my favorite ADULT ones! XO) And great interview and story Zoe! Excited to win or buy your book and spread the word to others! 🌹

    Reply
  400. Leslie Layton on

    The secret garden!! I have an area in my garden that is hidden and magical. Looking forward to tea parties with my grandkids!

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  401. Jan on

    I too loved the challenge of seek and find books as a child. I continue to love visual puzzles and paired with flowers is just brilliant! Mysteries are some of my favorite genres, as well as pouring over art and gardening “how to-s”.
    This looks like a beautiful and delightfully fun book! Thanks Erin!

    Reply
  402. Jan Fritz on

    I clearly remember that even as a young child, my heart was always captured by stories telling how people helped animals or other people in need. The stories of finding a wounded bird and helping it recover, or a child working with a dog who was scared and bringing him around to a friendly, outgoing pup, spoke to me. People helping others, like a man who couldn’t walk receiving a cane someone carved for him out of love, or children who put secret gifts on an elderly woman’s porch to make her day, made my heart sing.

    Ever since then, I have had a soft spot in my heart for helping those less fortunate. Indeed, I was able to make that my life’s work. For 36 years, I taught special needs students, giving them the skills they needed to succeed in this world while encouraging them to take advantage of and focus on all of the wonderful things they could do, not what they couldn’t do.

    It has been a true blessing to hear from my former students over the years as they have grown into adulthood, and how moving it is for me to learn how they have blossomed into wonderful adults with a life they enjoy and share with their own families. What can possibly be better than that?!

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  403. Starlene Walker on

    My grandmother was a gardener. I remember playing with the flowers. She always let us pick them. I do the same, my granddaughters love to pick my flowers and play in the garden. I didnt have many or any books of my own as a child. I did love looking at the garden catalogs.

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  404. Candace Andrie on

    Interesting books weren’t available to me as a child, but as an adult, I’ve made up for it. I have a passion for gardening and cooking and simply love being transported into another world in those area through books. (I have several of Floret Flowers).
    The interview with Zoe is lovely…makes me wish I lived closer to New Zealand 😊 as I would love to attend one of her workshops

    Reply
  405. Janet Shope, White Cottage Blooms on

    I can remember as a little girl, I loved to collect things. Things of nature. When we went to the beach, I would spend hours picking up seashells and then I would go and buy books so that I could identify them and make a display. I did the same process with leaves. Anything nature, that gave me a reason to go exploring. Some of my best memories.

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  406. Bev Bullock on

    I read Horse Sense until it fell apart. While it wasn’t fiction it did inspire lots of creative imaginings that have been a part of my entire life.

    Reply
  407. Vanda Hoe her on

    I loved stories or books about real people like Little House on the Prairie series or Historical characters when I was a child. They inspired me to keep going, to endure, no matter what path I followed. I have always loved flowers even from a young age but more so now that I am retired so would love a copy of this book.

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  408. Sandra Knauf on

    Thank you so much for this gorgeous glimpse into Zoë’s life, her flower farm, and her first book! Congratulations to Zoë and her mum Sue! My daughters grew up with the Eye Spy books and I’m looking forward to adding this grown-up version to our library. As far as the book that I was most interested in as a child . . . my interests spanned from fairy stories to encyclopedias on animals, fish, birds—but the one book that came up this morning was Where the Lilies Bloom, by Vera and Bill Cleaver. It’s in my top 10 favorite books (childhood AND adult). I fell in love with this story about the Mary Call Luthor, an orphaned teen who is struggling to raise her two younger siblings (and avoid government services breaking up the family) in the Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina in the early 1970s. It’s about family, struggle, LOVE conquering all, and the power of plants as medicine, as a way to bond with the earth, and as a way to make a living. This year, after 40 years in Colorado, I’ll be finally fulfilling my lifelong dream of moving to the mountains of NC and starting my mini-farm. This interview brought up ALL the magic.

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  409. Dottie DeMarco on

    Although I read over 100 Nancy Drew books and have collected mulit-dozens of gardening encyclopedias and books over the years. The book I recall MOST as a girl was Penelope Strawberry and River Radish! There were a couple of them. Think it was the garden gang? All I know is that the book fell apart I read it so many times! And I was snagged by rose thorns countless times as a child because always wanted to be around roses! Who knew gardening and flowers would become a lifelong passion. And I would be turning it into a small side business. Absolutely LOVE what you do Erin! (Your books are my favorite ADULT ones! XO) And great interview and story Zoe! Excited to win or buy your book and spread the word! 🌹

    Reply
  410. Holly Hiatt on

    The books I loved most as a child were the Little House on the Prairie series. Little did I know growing up in the inter-mountain west I would end up living a few hours north of De Smet SD.

    Reply
  411. Sandee Radtke on

    When I was 7 or 8, I remember grabbing “The Secret Garden” off the library shelf. It was the perfect book and has always stayed with me. When I bought my old house, I loved living through the seasons to discover my own lost gardens and am delighted by ancient lilacs, lilies and flowering vines.

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  412. Launa Nielson on

    Anything historical. Loved learning how others dealt with difficult lives, overcame obstacles and about this beautiful world. This led me to study all things international, love to serve with others and immerse myself in raising kids, animals and vegetation of all sorts.

    Reply
  413. Rene Rosso on

    Lovely lovely book. What a talented artist. As a child, my favorite books were Dr. Seuss. I loved all the drawings and the color.

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  414. LyndaBurgan on

    I da a set of Ridge Riders- horse books . Owning my own horse was a dream. I read about adventure and hard work and how horses were good for girls. I bought my first horse in my 40’s . He smelled so good! Lots of daily work and wonderful adventures! He was 36 when he went to horse heaven. He gave me my dream of riding the trails.

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  415. Jacquelyn Holmes on

    I still look back on the Dick, Jane, and Sally books with fondness. What wonderful characters to introduce young minds to reading. They opened up the world!

    Reply
  416. Amanda Wilkins on

    As a child, I was interested in getting muddy in the garden with my mom. She’d weed, plant and till, I’d make sprinkler rainbows and earthworm motels. My mom passed away at a young age, and now I live in the home I grew up in, tending the garden she made, pruning her roses and making beautiful bouquets from the very same plants she loved so much. I give my bouquets to friends and relatives in honor of her. And I hope to build this passion into a small business one day. Zoe’s book looks like inspiration I need! Thanks for sharing it with us!

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  417. Julie Hardcastle on

    Thank you for sharing this interview with us and making us better aware of the damage the storm caused.

    As I sit here in my warm, cozy home with 5 feet of snow outside and watching it continue to snow I’ve been pulling out my gardening books and coffee table books seeking some inspiration and hope that Spring will arrive before I know it.

    As an early reader my favorite book was Chip and Dale’s book of The Mystery of the Missing Peanut. I read that book over and over and over. I even hid under my bed when our family was heading out to church because I just wanted to stay home, sit on my bed and read my book again. I still love to read books over and over and I still love to read and especially watch a good mystery movie or TV series.

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  418. Kari Copple on

    Big bright petals with a paper like quality, persimmon orange, lemon yellow, vibrant pink poppies on sturdy green stems. Little hands offering joyous bouquets to preschool teachers. I remember my children running through our garden choosing sweet scented flowers, soft cabbage roses, spicy with fragrance, sunny daffodils, and the promise of life renewed in a garden. A cold, cloudy day as the sun’s rays slowly emerge, with the hope of warmth and rebirth, I am reminded of one of my favorite stories as a child, The Secret Garden. The magic of a garden remains ever present in my life as I shifted to flower farming in 2019 thanks to the Floret Workshop!

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  419. Donna Hazzard on

    It was like seek and find. Do you remember the Highlights magazines you’d find in your third grade classroom or the dentist office? They had these line drawn pictures with all sorts of crazy stuff hidden. Like a hammer in a tree. A mushroom in the fold of a dress. A bird drawn into a flower. I loved finding things in unexpected places and was amazed how beautifully and subtlety this random object could be woven into a bigger picture. This mindset definitely helped me raise my kids – I kept my eye out for opportunities to teach life and growth lessons in unexpected ways. I’m doing the same thing again as a life coach. Looking at the whole picture. Looking at the smaller parts. Finding hidden things. Recognizing patterns. Seeing how unfamiliar things can be tied together. Encouraging them to look for the things they want to find. Enjoying the beauty and artistry of it all.

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  420. Katrina on

    The interview was enlightening, inspirational and great food for thought.

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  421. Kate on

    I loved Choose Your Own Adventure, Sweet Valley High, and doing I Spy! with my younger sister. Would delight in having a grown up i spy :)

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  422. Ashley on

    As a child I was most interested in books with strong female leads, like Little Women! I think it has rubbed off on me to be a confident, independent adult in the world.

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  423. Joan tidwell on

    Iloved a chapter book whose name i can t rememer. I just remember looking ahead and seeing the story. The dark horse. I could hardly wait to read that story because i didnt know the word dark. Inretrospect i should have just asked my mom but i didn t think of that. I just patiently waited to readthe book and learn my new word dark.

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  424. Heidi Ann Klammer on

    Hi from NE Oregon. I am just thinking about getting some flower seeds started in my cold Victorian farmhouse. This will require mats, lights, and action! It is a frozen Wonderland outside. This is the best time to dream. I love your work with flowers and it gives me hope for ways to express wonder using flowers as a medium. I was just thinking of the irony of getting a subscription to Travel and Leisure as a sub for a magazine I used to get which folded. I have not gone anywhere for ages, years really. But my garden is a destination and an adventure. When asked to think about what kind of books I liked as a child I had to pause and dig deep into my memory. I have to say that Madeline and all the adventures she had were my favorite. I think that something about having an adventure and being independent were the things that attracted me. Bound at home practically by poverty but having a garden to explore has been such a gift. I so look forward to growing more flowers and adding to the wonder and mystery of my garden is the thing I most look forward to this year. Thank you for helping me dream!

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  425. Candy Woolsey on

    As a child I was interested in history books. It shaped me into liking vintage things and learning about them. The book is beautiful

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  426. Bonnie Williams on

    I grew up very poor. moving constantly and sometimes homeless. My favorite book was The Boxcar Children, where young kids run away from a bad situation and find a boxcar to live in. They used things from a dump to furnish it. I love junking still, and especially love old things amongst the flowers in my yard. Loved the interview!

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  427. Amiee on

    That rose though 🙌🏽

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  428. Emma Jo Karls on

    I enjoyed reading books about dogs and war. I love dogs and currently have three in home and my family has a long history of being in the armed forces. I think my reading choices as a kid have helped shape me as an adult in the ways of learning our countries history and why we were involved in war. Appreciating the sacrifices
    the men and women have made for our county and to not take living here for granted. Also the companionship of a dog and owner is truly amazing.

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  429. Jayne McCullough on

    I loved Nancy Drew books most when I was little. I think they helped stir up my sense of adventure!

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  430. Ditte Wager on

    I’m so excited for this book! I have always loved picture books and one of my all time favorites is The Polar Express. I know it’s a Christmas book, but my grandpa gave it to me when I was eight and told me he still hears the bell every Christmas. That belief has always grounded me. Thank you for the wonderful interview and always the new ideas to get my creative juices flowing.

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  431. Rebekah Beyer on

    The Fox and the Hound was one of my favorites. That story contained lots of emotions. A lasting friendship between two unlikely playmates reminds me that anything is possible and there is a Greater Being in control.

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  432. Mar on

    My favorite book was The Secret Garden. I loved the idea of going through an old gate into a garden of gnarly vines, branches, a Robin, and finding a refuge there. It was a safe place to be, to feel who you are deep inside, free from all the turmoil of family and the world…I longed to find that place for me and now I have it right in my own backyard!

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  433. Andrea on

    My favorite book as a child was Little Women. I loved and identified with the individual personalities of each of the women, the mother figure, the artist, the writer, the pianist, the active tom boy, etc. It helped shape the artist and mother I am today

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  434. Bess B on

    I loved anything to do with friends having adventures together! Especially the Redwall series :)

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  435. Heather on

    I loved The chronicles of narnia series. I love the magic. This book reminds me of how much I enjoyed the highlights magazine seek and find as a kid though :)

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  436. Tammy Wharton on

    As a child I always liked non-fiction books. I would check out 20 or so at a time, as many as I could carry. I’m a scientist now, so I guess you could say they certainly shaped my future, or that I was always interested in science. I particularly loved the bird books and nature books.

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  437. Courtney on

    I adored the Narnia books. They taught me that things are not always as they seem and adventure is always waiting around the corner!

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  438. Suzanne Hertel on

    I have so enjoyed perusing these comments. Books are wonderful. I was not an avid reader as a child., but I think I read every biography our small school library had on the President’s wives. Their stories were inspiring. I do remember reading To Kill a Mockingbird in my high school years and loving it.
    Now I’m an avid gardener and love gardening books. My son has gotten me interested in organic gardening and I am trying to work toward that. I also anxiously await every Louise Penny Book. I am a big fan of Armand Gamache.

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  439. Alexis on

    What an absolutely gorgeous book!! As a child I loved reading Little House on the Prairie. I was fascinated by the old ways of living. Homesteading, making candles and soap, storing food for the winter. As an adult I still love the idea of all of trying all of these things. And you can’t get me out of my garden in the summer! I don’t live in the country now, but I dream of one day living that quiet, simple country life ❤️

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  440. Diane Evans on

    I liked Hans Christian Andersen stories, especially “The Emperor with no Clothes.” It was the most risqué my childhood allowed! I refer to the idea of that story Now, as an adult, I refer to the idea of that story, especially when discussing the ways of our politicians these days!

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  441. Charissa Steyn on

    I remember loving Roald Dahl, Nancy Drew, and the silly poetry of Shel Silverstein!

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  442. Margaret Jane Wray on

    I read a lot as a child. I loved Katy and the Big Snow, Mike Mulligan and The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton.
    All of these books have the common theme of patience and hard work. My favorite book was published in 1997 called The Gardener by Sarah Stewart with gorgeous illustrations by her husband David Small. It’s a depression era story about a little girl sent to live with her uncle in the city because of depression era poverty. She brings seeds with (from her dear grandmother who taught her about gardening) and sows flowers everywhere. It’s the story of the power of beauty and how it brings people together and spreads joy. It’s just beautiful and inspiring much like Floret!🌸🌺🌸🌺🌸🌺🌸🌺🌸🌺🌸🌺🌸🌺🌸🌺🌸

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  443. Kate Barr on

    Even as a child, I was drawn to the world of historical and strong women. Of course Little Women was a favorite, but I was very immersed in Anne Frank and Number The Stars, letting them open my very sheltered and protected mind to the reality of pain and suffering. To this day, historical fictions are my favorites, allowing me to learn about another time, through the realistic experience of strong women of that time.

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  444. Robin Avenmarg on

    My favorite book as a child was Bambi and I loved Thumper peaking his head out in the field of wild flowers.

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  445. Abigail Joy on

    My dad read “the kissing hand” to me so often. It was about a mother and son raccoon- I grew to love it more and more and eventually my dad got me a faux raccoon hat I would gallop around in hehe! The book showed me to be gentle, the power of the touch of a hand can be everything to someone.

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  446. Tierra Harris on

    Thank you for an inspiring interview on so many levels. I too am a photographer and artist, though not a flower farmer yet, these images from the book feed my soul that longs for color. Vincent Van Gogh wrote “Color itself speaks a language, you cannot live without it.”

    Anyway, my favorite book as a child was by Virginia Lee Burton called The Little House. It told he story of a small house in the beautiful countryside where she was happy but after many years the city and noise crept up all around her. A couple saw the house, loved it, and moved it back out to the country where the air was clean and the little house could watch the seasons and enjoy the family raised within her walls.

    As I look back, I think this book was a foundation for my love of country living, homemade things and family values.

    There weren’t very many seek and find books that were good quality but my friend had a large creative puzzle that was so much fun and it started a love of finding things and loving puzzles.
    Thank you for the inspiration and a trip down memory lane!

    Reply
  447. Nisha on

    I was really interested in the chicken soup for the soul books as a child. The death & dying series was heartbreaking, but would remind me that life is short & to cherish your loved ones.

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  448. Sherri on

    Growing up on a large farm in the Midwest, I took so much for granted…my dad worked the fields and my mom had a huge garden…mostly veggies and some fruit but always some flowers tucked here and there…as a child I didn’t appreciate the garden or produce or the flowers like I should have…as I grew older, married, moved to the Pacific Northwest, I find myself wishing I would have paid more attention to my dear mom’s passion for flowers…I loved to read mostly anything…my children grew up with the seek and find books…and I must say I enjoyed those books right along them!

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  449. Doris Towery on

    Love this interview! We fell in love with New Zealand on our trip in 2015. We had a magnificent time in Hawkes Bay and in Napier at the Art Deco Festival. As a child I loved books with fantasy, mystery and intrigue. I lost my Mom when I was 5 and had horrible step mothers so books were my way to escape into another world. I read every Nancy Drew book and moved to Agatha Christie as I got older. The Hobbit and the Narnia series were absolute favorites because of the magical worlds, fighting for good and the bravery and kindness of the characters. To this day I am a voracious reader but spend more time in cooking and gardening books. ♥️

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  450. Kim D' on

    This book strikes me as a lovely way to bring more beauty into this world and share it with others.

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  451. Kara on

    Strangely, I think it may have been the Choose Your Own Adventure books. It’s not that I loved their stories – I don’t even remember them now like I do other beloved books =) – but the way they showed that decisions have consequences… to think carefully and choose wisely… and that sometimes even when you do, things still go sideways… that’s has a pretty significant influence.

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  452. Laura Black on

    I always loved books about pioneers, whether biographies or fiction. I also grew up on Anne of Green Gables.

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  453. karin smith on

    I grew up reading mysteries like hardy boys and encyclopedia brown, then agatha christie and sherlock holmes. still love mysteries. think they have taught me to be aware of all around me- really enjoy people watching and nature watching. Your book looks beautiful.

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  454. Beata on

    When I was a kid, I didn’t read much and didn’t have many books. I was enchanted by a book with incredibly beautiful illustrations: The Girl and the Rain by Milena Lukesova. I have always been interested in drawing and painting, so I remember these pictures and their subtlety to this day. I was most impressed by the book, which is well known all over the world and probably everyone will know what I am writing about. This is the book The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. I was moved by the clash of sensitivity, or perhaps even hypersensitivity, with a large, difficult world. I felt the pain of what is written there about friendship and love. I was an oversensitive child and I am an oversensitive adult, sometimes this big world doesn’t suit us with the same smile we want to give it. I can’t say today whether this book changed something in me or just confirmed me in my nature. Friendship and love are as important to me as they are in the pages of this book, and regardless of the pain that comes, I don’t want to betray those values and I don’t want to give up. Purity of intention and purity of action, honesty, faithfulness and staying sober are my priorities. Sometimes I feel like I’m from another planet. Thank you for a lovely interview and insane photos! Regards, Beata.

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  455. Summer Venice on

    Adventure and fantasy stories were my favorite growing up. They provided me a much needed escape from whatever adult world I was stuck in. Grown now, I recognize just how greatly these books impacted me, and still do. They showed me magic in quite literally everything, and gave me the ability to mitigate my circumstances on a whim.

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  456. Anne M. on

    Anne of Green Gables. I related to her love of nature and the beauty in each season and used it for imaginative play.

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  457. Kelly on

    I loved looking at the I Spy book series as a kid, which are filled with miniatures of all kinds, and I still love miniatures too! The book sounds absolutely delightful.

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  458. Jackie on

    I love this book so much! As a child and an adult I am not a big reader but I love beautiful picture books. The find pages look amazing!

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  459. Wendy C on

    I have so many childhood favourite books. My mother read to us very night before bed, we four girls curled up around her. Goodness, The Velvet Room, Heidi, Anne of Green Gables, Becky’s Christmas, I just can’t pick a favourite, just like with flowers, so hard. But I do have a very soft spot for poppies. Zoe’s book looks wonderful, she has an incredible eye for colour. Would love to win a book, not sure if we can from Canada.

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  460. Toni Larsen on

    My favorite book was The Chemicals of Life by Isaac Asimov. I know, not a girly book, but it opened my mind to science.

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  461. Caitlin Danforth on

    Growing up I loved the Beatrix Potter books, I feel they helped foster my love and connection with the woods and wildlife, and made me think about not just myself when planting a garden, but all those creatures who could benefit as well. I also spent hours with my I Spy books, I can’t wait for this floral one!

    Reply
  462. Denise Ronalter on

    I loved Charles Dicken’s books, the English country side with all their gardens. Now in May I’m going to the UK and have several must see gardens. But I do hope to visit the small villages and find those little gardens that show the love of their gardener.

    Reply
  463. Cindy O on

    The Little Golden books! Especially the Golden Egg. Lots of pretty flowers in the artwork of a funny little story. Perhaps that nurtured my love of flowers from a very young age!

    Reply
  464. Brittany on

    I loved any book with beautiful imagery, and photos! A book sharing someone’s story and journey always captivated my heart too.

    Reply
  465. Ryan on

    Cicely Mary Barker’s Flower Fairy series was the first seed for my current love of gardening.

    Reply
  466. Kelsey on

    As a child, I loved this book called “Pickles the Cat”. From what I recall about this children’s story, pickles is a yellow and black spotted cat who lives and works in a fire station. What I related to about pickles is that he was “adopted” as pets are – and I myself was adopted. Pickles ultimate goal is to help people – he may be small but wanted to make big changes and impacts – which is something I strive for as well, as silly as this comparison is. Pickles has stuck with me all these years through the memory of this story.

    Reply
  467. Karen Kettenacker on

    Connection is so important for our mental health, and of course with other humans. But connecting to the earth fills your soul! The interview with Zoe enlightens me with the magic of flowers and the beauty of experiential storytelling.

    Reply
  468. Rohimah Sarpin on

    I love all of Beatrix Potter’s books. Her delightful tales of animals going about their adventures in the bucolic setting of a village, a woodland, a garden, or a cottage made the ideal backdrop for a girl living in a bustling tropical city. An escape. A dreamscape. Am now living in a semi-rural, temperate zone; I’m keeping a cottage garden, enjoy watching the birds at their feeders, and am partial to watercolor illustrations/artworks. Zoë Field’s Lost & Found looks gorgeously colorful to immerse oneself on snowy white/gray days. A fabulously bountiful inspiration to grow more varieties of flowers when the gardening season begins.

    Reply
  469. Darcy Renhard on

    I always loved the “choose your own adventure” books as a child. Those and anything about horses, art, and flowers!

    Reply
  470. Abby Goldblatt on

    The Lupine Lady by Barbara Cooney is my all time favorite. I relish any opportunity to spend time wandering the open spaces and regional wonders of my adopted Southern California, and thank the Lupine lady for inspiring me to love nature.

    Reply
  471. Cynthia Ferrari on

    I was a big fan of Archie and Veronica comic books, so much so that I wanted to name my daughter Veronica which I still think would have fit her well. But instead we named her Natalie and now I just grow Veronica in my garden!

    Reply
  472. Melanie on

    Wow, quel beau livre! Je ne sais pas si j’ai le droit de participer au concours étant donné que je demeure au Canada, mais je tente ma chance. La collection de livres qui ont marqué mon enfance est Martine. Mon livre préféré était Martine à la campagne. Les dessins sont extraordinaires avec énormément de détails et les histoires nous transportaient dans la nature avec les animaux et les fleurs. J’ai bien aimé relire ses livres à ma fille quand elle était jeune.

    Reply
  473. Dawn on

    As a child, I discovered biographies in my school library. They captured my imagination and I loved reading about historical people’s lives such as Betsy Ross, Dolly Madison, Harriet Tubman, etc. This has carried on through my adult years and they’re still my favorite books to read. It’s so interesting to see how someone’s twists and turns in life contributed to their success, even when they thought those challenges were devastating at the time.

    Reply
  474. Anne on

    One of my favorite books was Mairelon the Magician. Full of history and magic.

    Reply
  475. Lauren on

    I loved the search and find books as a child, too! It was always fun to imagine stories about the items or people in those books. This book looks absolutely stunning.

    Reply
  476. Debbie on

    My favorites books as a child were the Nancy Drew books. Today, I’m still a curious gal and enjoy a good mystery movie. But My books today are very different and definitely include anything about flowers, biographies of interesting people from the past, and anything to increase my emotional and spiritual wisdom.

    Reply
  477. Emmy Tulip on

    I was obsessed with The Bunnies Ball as a little kid. The pictures and the rhymes were so precious and whimsical, and so imaginative. It gave a sense of wonder and a little bit of that magic. It will be a book I read to my kids. The book changed my thoughts as a little girl, to make my moms garden less a place to pull weeds, and more a place where I could find my own bit of wonder and creativity.

    Reply
  478. Cris Walton on

    What a beautiful thing to have a flower farm! Such a great article, it all sounds magical with a lot of work!!! I grew up with the precious little book “The teenie weenies” about tiny people sleeping in thimbles surrounded by gardens and riding grasshoppers! I love all things minature still and design small vignettes for decor and fairy gardens. The book sounds delightful!!

    Reply
  479. Anne on

    Hi. I live in the Pacific Northwest and have visited New Zealand three times. We absolutely loved seeing the islands, trekking, fishing and exploring the people and places. I grew up reading and gardening with my father. We read gardening books about plants and flowers before starting our planting each Spring. He became a master gardener and together we spent many fun days in his gardens and later in mine.
    Now I have a small but robust vegetable garden, fruit trees, and many flowers. I can’t wait to read your new book. Thank you.

    Reply
  480. Emily on

    Nearly everything I read was historical fiction, especially the classics. Heidi, Secret Garden, all of Anne of Green Gables and the Emily Books, the Chronicles of Narnia. . . I followed the stories and lives of each character as far as I could go. All those books are likely what has fuelled my interest in history, especially in learning about every day lives of people from the past. And not to mention, which one of those books doesn’t mention gardens?! I’m sure many of them had some mention of flowers that has shaped my view of gardening.🌷

    Reply
  481. Stina on

    What a lovely interview! Can’t wait to get the book. As a child, I loved to read anything with adventure and history. I was especially drawn to books about pioneers, including the “Little House on the Prairie” series by Laura Ingalls Wilder.

    Reply
  482. Tami on

    I loved arts and crafts books. I’ve enjoyed the same all my life! Love your site! Thanks for the opportunity!

    Reply
  483. Kelly Buxton on

    I simply love flowers. I have a small flower business called Nature’s Reflections in Oregon. I love all the unusual in nature and look for to put in my designs. I have all the floret books and look forward to getting Lost and found to add to my collection.

    Reply
  484. Cathy Tsiao on

    As an only child I loved reading as a way to interact, learn, and live in a different environment. “Secret Garden” was one of my all time favorites; it showed empathy and something that I now know for sure: nature does heal.

    Reply
  485. Cassandre Masson on

    My favorites kind of books as a kid were the ones that you were the hero and that you’d decide the outcome of the story. My school library had a huge collection and I was so excited to go every time to pick a new adventure. My favorite one was about fairies! 🧚🏻‍♀️ And Zoë’s book is precious! I need a copy! 😍

    Reply
  486. Maylene on

    I still love eye-spy pictures! These pages are a feast for the eyes, and the soul. I can’t wait to get a copy!

    Reply
  487. Elizabeth G. on

    I loved mysteries as a kid. Nancy Drew, Boxcar Children, Choose Your Own Adventures type books. As an adult, I notice that I still have that same curiosity and find so much fun and intrigue in a good mystery. I love the way flowers offer that same intrigue. What color, what shape??? Will it be an abundant blossom year? How will I use these flowers? It’s all so much fun.

    Reply
  488. Annika on

    I grew up with the wonderfully illustrated Anno’s Journey, Anno’s alphabet, and some others by the Japanese artist. They are wordless seek-and-find books, and timelessly delightful for both kids and adults.

    Reply
  489. NICOLE Thompson on

    My favorite book as a child was The secret Garden. I related well to her being uprooted and trying hard to blossom in a new place. I have always been drawn to hiding in the garden.

    Reply
  490. Connie Bertholf on

    I am a woman of 70 years. I have enjoyed veggie gardening for 50 years. Flower gardening has only been in my life a few years. After I read your blog on this wonderful book and you asked the question what was your favorite childhood books. To my sadness I respond “ my parents never gave me books in my childhood. I remember finding a report card when I from my kindergarten teacher asking my parents to read to me. They didn’t. Yes I graduated from high school snd went to a community college in my 40’s I took lots of classes trying to find my passion I took lots of test to find I have no learning issues. I googled “seek snd find” books to know what you were referring to. Thank you for all the information you put out for us all to learn. God bless you and your farm. Connie

    Reply
  491. Sara on

    As a child the library was a world of wonders unfurling in each book. I loved books about crafts or art and gobbled books about whales- creatures I adored. Books that rhymed always were favorites, as they are now with my own children. Zoe’s book looks like something new to explore!

    Reply
  492. Sarah on

    As a kid, I liked the Arnold Lobel books. Owl at Home, Frog and Toad, and the rest. All the characters have such interesting personalities and interactions with each other, and the color palettes for each book are so attractive.

    Reply
  493. Nanci Moir on

    Growing up, my favorite book was Stuart Little – I bet I read it at least ten times. I was also an avid fan of Nancy Drew mysteries and I’m sure I had every one of the series. They don’t seem to be similar, but I can still feel their emotional pull on me, only child in a family of adults. Stuart (who was small like me) and Nancy (who shared my name and my gender) were both adventurers who took control of their lives and escapades. I’ve tried to replicate their bravery when I’ve had to make difficult decisions; I hope I can say I have been a credit to their examples.

    Reply
  494. MARYANN DONAHUE on

    My favorite books as a young girl were stories about animals. These creatures, usually horses or dogs, often overcame great hardship in order to find their way home or win that “race.” There was an element of sentimentality but also often a sense of adventure and wonder.

    Reply
  495. Joni Sauers on

    My favorite books were these book club books my Mom would read us. They would paint a fanciful world where humans, animals and plants all lived together in harmony…it was a vision I carry with me still, in my 60’s now!

    Reply
  496. Jenny on

    Congratulations, Zoë! What a great idea for a book. As a child, Magic Eye & I Spy books were formative to my imagination. I always loved the dizzying refocus of a Magic Eye book into the 3rd dimension. Same with I Spy, at first glance, a page looks no different than your grandma’s cluttered home, but with curiosity, you’re led to reveal the treasured objects and their stories.

    Reply
  497. Erin on

    When I was little, I LOVED fairytales, and anything with an adventure. Playing in the woods with my sisters, acting out our own fairytales, are some of my favorite memories from childhood.

    Reply
  498. Jordan on

    I have always loved mythical lore, and I think it’s helped me keep a bright imagination as an adult. I love all the wild stories of adventure, romance, and bravery.

    Reply
  499. Mckall Rowley on

    One of my favorite books as a child was Letters From Felix because it was the first book I ever received that was unique in how it was made. There were little envelopes with letters inside that you would pull out and the letters were a continuation of the story. At the end of the book was a suitcase full of stickers from where Felix traveled.

    To me this book opened up possibilities of design and that you don’t have to conform to what’s been done before.

    Zoe’s farm sounds amazing and so glad everyone is safe.

    Reply
  500. Malyn Roth on

    I loved reading Nancy Drew books and series of books by Og Mandino. Books were by best friends especially during the long summer days. I was the youngest and only girl in our family. Everybody worked or went to school. Books filled my days with the anticipation of adventure and fun.

    Reply
  501. Maggie on

    What a lovely book, Zoë!! I also was entranced by the “I Spy” books and the Sammy books, which were a similar concept, when I was young. I enjoyed the imaginative stories and beautiful art of the series “In the Land of Barely There.” And I loved the stories of historical figures…Amy Carmichael, Florence Nightingale, Elisabeth Fry, which have encouraged me to seek God’s purpose for my life. Thank you for the opportunity to win such a lovely book! God bless you!

    Reply
  502. Meredith Brown on

    I loved Nancy Drew books as a child! I read dozens of them! As an adult, I still like solving puzzles, and at my accounting job, I feel like the numbers present me with puzzles I get to solve all the time.

    Reply
  503. Chelsie on

    I loved reading this interview and learning about flower life in New Zealand! And Zoe, your book looks so amazing and lovely! Growing up, I read the Chronicles of Narnia and I’ll never forget the sense of wonder and adventure- it has stuck with me my whole life.

    Reply
  504. Kim Soldo on

    What a beautiful book, Zoe has created! As a child one of my favorite books was “The Story of Ferdinand”, about a little bull who refused to fight like the other bulls and preferred to sit in a field and smell the flowers. I’ve always loved gardening and I am sure this is one of many books that planted those first seeds of botanical wonder.

    Reply
  505. Michelle on

    What a beautiful book this must be! I adore that it is a find and seek book. My mom kept the Where’s Waldo books out in our living room. We loved to watch visitors try their hand at searching for him. If they were ever stumped I was always at the ready to point him out, and as a spunky youth I would often wow them with how fast I could flip through the book and point him out on every page. I can imagine leaving this classier version out in my living room for years to come! I am a constant reader and love all kinds of stories but I wonder if these types of books honed my skills at seeing details in situations and projects.

    Reply
  506. Meg King on

    My favorite book as a tween was The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The bravery to run away from an abusive situation and take off on a raft with a runaway slave was fascinating to me!

    Reply
  507. Irena Aspidov on

    I grew up in Estonia, a place with beautiful fields, woods and forests. As a child and teen I would spend spring and summer days walking in the fields and woods collecting flowers and putting together bouquets. I would bring them all to my mom. As a little girl I was never into books, but I was really into nature. There was a point in my life when I was trying to put together poems about nature, I was so impressed by its beauty!
    Now, love to sit in the evenings and just look at the books with flowers and floral arrangements. Recently, that inspired me to start my own flower garden. It opened up a new beautiful world of gardening and thrill to see a life emerging from a tiniest seeds! ❤️

    Reply
  508. Elise Berlin on

    As a child I loved the Black Stallion. And Emily the Spy…classics in children’s repertoire.

    Reply
  509. Whitney on

    As a kid my favorite section of B&N was always the craft carousel in the kids section – the one with the friendship bracelet, card quilling books etc. I feel like that has definitely followed me into adulthood as my interests vary widely and I like to learn new things. Lately I’ve been very interested in learning more about indigo and natural dye and pigment. I’m hoping to grow some of my own!

    Reply
  510. Renee Collacino on

    Growing up, I loved a book my grandmother gave me called Pictures of Japan that had amazing illustrations of Gardens and oceans in Japan along with beautiful poetry and haikus.

    Reply
  511. Celyne Brouillette on

    As an adult I like to go back to children’s books,after I worked with young children so many years, I realised that we all have this chance to go back to that wonder inside of each of us and create with no limits,just as children’s are doing,when I look at this book I see all the beauty and the colors and this, brings me back to my real creativity. Thanks to you and your beautiful book.

    Reply
  512. Gail Munich on

    My favourite book was The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, by C.S. Lewis. I did not find out until I was an adult, that there were more books in the Narnia series and I still read them all now! As a child let loose in a library, I would just flit from book to book randomly, like a bee or butterfly in a flower patch. What a revelation to realize that you could look for more books by an author that you loved! But I still recommend the occasional flowe- flitting approach because that does bring many lovely new suprises!
    Budget does require visits to the library and used bookstores, as well as sharing with friends, but I do try and buy new books whenever possible to support our wonderful writers!

    Reply
  513. Barbara on

    As a child, I enjoyed books of mystery like “Nancy Drew” books. When imagining these stories and pretending outside, I was always drawn to the plants that my mom had around our home. As adult, I have realized that some were roses that had been handed down and cuttings rooted. I remember the contrasts of the orange Justicia with the purple Ruellia, berries in the fall from our pyracantha, and the white spring blooms of spireas. That labor of love she had in the garden now means more than ever. To own this beautiful book, LOST AND FOUND, would be a lovely addition. Thanks.

    Reply
  514. Cindy on

    Anne of Green Gables. I still have a hardbound 3 volume from 1985. Her love of flowers & nature & imagination drew me right in. The 1st time she saw the canopy of apple blossom on the ride home drew me right in. In fact, due to a concussion, I wasn’t able to read for a few months. This was the 1st book I wanted to read again. I have a life long love of flowers, photography, creating & teaching the art of drawing & painting them.

    Reply
  515. Ana Gabriela on

    So beautiful! Thank you for sharing. My favorite book as a child was Matilda and it helped shape me because I looked up to Ms. Honey and wanted to be just like her. Today, I feel like I still have that dream of her cottage in the garden shaping me.

    Reply
  516. Kristi Schark on

    As a young child I was enamored by books portraying animals wearing clothing living in furnished homes underground, in trees, miniature houses tucked away in the middle of forests or beautiful gardens. (Frog and Toad books and Beatrix Potter books.) I daydreamed about living their diminutive lives finding delight in the simplicity of the surrounding nature. These books inspired my dream to live a simple life, caring for a piece of land, growing flowers and food, communing with nature; which has now become a reality for me. It has also inspired my craft of making various things (miniature houses and vases) out of natural materials foraged from the land and my gardens.

    Reply
  517. Daniela on

    My father gave me as a gift “the secret garden”. It’s still with me and I’m creating now my own little secret garden. Thanks to all you wonderful flowers and nature lovers, I’m learning so much. Love and peace and flowers 🫶

    Reply
  518. Tammy Brown on

    This is just amazing. I grew up on a beautiful farm in Indiana and the flowers my grandma had were unparalleled. the farm was sadly taken out by a 4 lane highway and my grandma was not able to rebuild it due to her age. The farm was originally her parents – what a sad day, me being the only girl on a huge livestock farm dug up every possible place I could grow roses and other not so familiar flowers, I got my first job working at a Landscape and garden center and spent every paycheck making my parents home a place I wanted to come back to. After I left for college my parents went in to the store to pick up my last paycheck and were handed a bill for an additional amount that I had purchased on store credit. They all got a laugh out of that but I went to Purdue for Landscape Architecture and have never been the same. Love what this book represents.

    Reply
  519. Debbie Alenius on

    As a kid, my parents had a subscription to “National Geographic” which opened up a world of beauty to me beyond the desert environment where we lived. Every month I looked forward to a new issue which showcased countless photographs of nature that jumped off the pages. It inspired me to appreciate nature as a young child, especially when visiting my grandparents’ spectacular garden around the corner from our home and helping my mom in our own family flower garden.

    Reply
  520. Esther on

    The storybook I was most fascinated with as a child was called, “A New Coat for Anna.” The book belonged to my grandparents, and my grandma must have had it almost memorized, considering how many times I would ask her to read it to me! The richly colored illustrations in it always drew me into its world, and I never got tired of pouring over them.

    The love of the mother for her daughter, Anna, and the excitement of Anna getting something new, both reflected my own experiences as a child. My mother sacrificed a lot to raise me and my siblings and brand-new clothing was always a rarity in our family!

    It planted in me an appreciation for the sacrifices that parents make to provide for and bring their children joy.
    Anna and her mother didn’t have much money, but they had love, friendship, and contentment, and that was enough. That has always stuck with me as a reminder of what truly matters in life.

    Reply
  521. Elaine Young on

    My all time favourite book for reading to my children and now, my grandchildren is Miss Rumphius, Story and pictures by Barbara Cooney. It’s all about the Lupine Lady who plants seeds to make the world more beautiful. The book has truly shaped us by implanting in our family that same desire to make the world more beautiful. Planting seeds and growing flowers is surely one way to do that!

    Reply
  522. Libby on

    As a child, the Anne books or classics like “the Secret Garden” and “the Little Princess” were enchanting to me. I also really loved the I Spy books- especially with a younger sibling.

    Reply
  523. Lorraine on

    I loved the Little House on the Prairie books as a child and they still inspire my pioneering spirit that lead to a love of gardening.

    Reply
  524. Liz Borst on

    My favorite book as a child was The Fourteen Bears of Summer and Winter. Each bear lived in a tree house that was decorated differently and I loved seeing the different styles, excpet for the baby bear Theodore that lived with his parents in their tree house. Each bear also loved a different sport or activity in the winter and the summer. I am a identical twin and there was a set of twin bears in the book (Flora and Dora) and I remember loving to see how each bear had their own interests and styles but in the end all loved eachother’s company. Such a sweet book and now considered a rare, collectible golden book. I loved books with pictures that showed how different people lived and worked, I was also always a big fan of the Richard Scary books for those reasons.

    Reply
  525. Frannie Alvarado on

    My favorite books were the little doctor seuss books. They were funny and they were how I learned to read with my mom because i was homeschooled.

    Reply
  526. Carrie Trumpy on

    Trixie Belden and Nancy Drew were my books of choice 10 – 12 year old…plenty of adventure and hi-jinx to keep me entertained! Love this interview and the work that you do…thank-you for sharing it all!

    Reply
  527. martha neumann on

    Our neighbor was a children’s librarian and supplied my mom with all the most exceptional picture books in the 1940’s. But because I was the youngest of four, my mother lost interest in reading to me. So I would pull the books out of my little orange crate bookshelf in the early morning before anyone else was up, pile them on the foot of my bed, study the illustrations and make up my own stories. “The Poppy Seed Cakes” by Margery Clark was a favorite as was “Ask Mr. Bear” by Marjorie Flack. I loved the bright colors in the flat, woodcut illustration style. My early introduction to color and great design has influenced my whole life, including my love of flowers and flower arranging.

    Reply
  528. Cassie Melton on

    As a child I really enjoyed the collections of choose your own stories. The premise was you a read a scene setting and then decide the next step – like turn to page six if you would open the doorway in the dark hallway or turn to page 12 if you would turn back to go get your friend. One book could tell so many stories and encouraged re-reading.
    Zoe book sounds like fun, an adventure to savior and enjoy. I like hearing of creatives collaborating with each other.

    Reply
  529. Lauren on

    How beautiful! I loved the book ‘The Secret Garden’ as a child. It the sense of wonder it instilled in me that I still remember.

    Reply
  530. Kristina Smith on

    100 Dresses. The Family Under the Bridge. Tender books about children living in difficult situations who taught others to love more easily taught me to have more compassionate eyes for others.

    Reply
  531. Linda on

    When I was a child my mom would take us to the library and let us pick out any books we wanted. We’d leave with stacks and stacks. I always loved the ones with the best pictures. I’ve later learned that my memories are logged into my mind in pictures or snapshots. I can relate a memory and surrounding details as if seeing a photograph. I believe those mounds of books lifted my mind to think and create and imagine.

    Reply
  532. Shelby Humpert on

    When I was young, I loved The Magic Treehouse books. They helped shape my love of learning and adventure.

    Reply
  533. Jessie on

    I loved The Phantom Tollbooth and I continue to travel in real life and in my mind’s eye! Gardening provides another kind of transformative experience. Beautiful interview!

    Reply
  534. Monica Pritchard on

    I read, a dozen times, a book called Mrs. Mike. It was about a young woman, who became a teacher in wild northern Alaska. She was strong and courageous and had many adventures.

    Reply
  535. Maren Ruedebusch-Roeber on

    Hi, greetings from Germany!
    As I was a little girl I found the book named „Peter Rabbit“ – I wasnˋt able to understand the language , because I was too young. But I was fascinated when I saw the scenes in gardens and in the nature and I think that I felt the spirit of it. Later on when I was able to understand the language I loved the storys and the wonderful pictures painted by Beatrix Potter. She bought so much acres of farmland to protect nature, everytime she was a great lover of flowers. Now, that I learned a lot about her life, the paintings and her great love for flowers and nature of this outstanding woman , I can say , that she gave me so much inspiration for my own way of live and my passion for gardening as a grown-up person. It‘s my favourite hobby to read books about flowers, gardening, painted arts with flowers, photography and landscape Art with flowers and gardening.
    I would be very proud to be one of the winner of this wonderful book.
    Yours
    Maren from Twistringen

    Reply
  536. Candace Minster on

    What a beautiful book and post! I loved so many books as a child–hard to choose just one! I loved Roald Dahl, Madeleine L’Engle, Beverley Cleary, and also raiding the art and travel books in our library. I would spend hours looking at paintings and photography and dreaming of adventure.

    Reply
  537. Heather B. on

    I loved all books as a child – I would get lost in pictures and stories. After reading a book, I would often play at being the characters in the book. I think that reading and playing as a child that way helped develop my sense of empathy for others. Books are such a wonderful gift.

    Reply
  538. Caryn Spitzzeri on

    Growing up in the 50s and 60s, I enjoyed various genres. Nancy Drew was a favorite series but I also enjoyed books on animals and nature as well as poetry. My library was within walking distance and I spent a lot of time there. My love for flowers came from helping my grandmother tend to her beautiful garden. I was always encouraged to get on my hands and knees work in the dirt.

    Reply
  539. Jan Reitsema on

    I remember the delightful book, “Heidi,” as my first chapter book as an emerging reader. I was often found wandering in the nearby woods, building forts for my imaginative play. Heidi was drawn to hiking higher and higher in the mountains, a pastime that I now enjoy in Colorado as an adult. I can’t seem to go on a walk without foraging for sticks, berries, and seed pods to add to the organic decor in my home. I look forward to feasting on the unexpected beauty of Zoe’s vignettes.

    Reply
  540. Janea McDonald on

    I was always interested in books set in past times, from Beatrix Potter children’s stories, Brontë sisters classic books, to Zane Grey’s westerns. This helped me to understand how much our world has changed, yet basic human emotions, needs, and wants have not.
    And I developed a passion for books on herbs when I was a young teen, that has developed into cooking with flavor the herbs I’m now growing in my garden.

    Reply
  541. Leslea LaGro on

    I was inspired by religious books. The Bible of course but also other books that lifted my heart and mind to God.
    How they have shaped me as an adult is that I continue to pursue to know Him and love Him and follow His ways.

    Reply
  542. Adona Salgado on

    I had a huge imagination as a child and I loved reading fictional stories, because I could really imagine the words on the page and they made me feel happy. I would read The Magic School Bus and the Berenstein Bears a lot. I think I liked to read them so much because I was able to dream of a happier place. I still love fictional stories now but love stories by Nicholas Sparks.

    Reply
  543. Rebekah on

    Thank you for this interview with all the stunning photography too. How inspiring! I had a fondness for “choose your own adventure” books as a child – so much wonder in the possibility. And so many other good rich stories, so hard to pick!

    Reply
  544. Diane on

    As a child I had a book about families traveling by covered wagon on the Oregon Trail. I loved that book as I traveled with them, crying over their losses and connecting with their hopes. Today I love reading all genre of books, but I am amazed at the beautiful children’s books with such vivid artwork that are available to read aloud to our children and grandchildren.

    Reply
  545. Anna Nelson on

    My favorite type of book as a child was one that included a surprise or a big reveal. This could be a “choose your own adventure”, a mystery or a compelling novel. I think these books shaped me as an adult to expected the unexpected and be curious about it. Today, I still love surprises and this is the main reason I get so much joy from my garden.

    Reply
  546. Julie B on

    I loved reading and rereading the pomes in Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein when I was young. When my children were smaller we would spend HOURS pouring over seek and find books so this Lost & Found makes my heart so happy. I know my daughter would love it too!

    Reply
  547. Jennifer Mitchael on

    i loved to read real stories of people who had overcome adversity and challenges. I didn’t realize that at the time, but all those stories helped me navigate many difficult challenges with hope! and gardening and flowers are part of that hope. Life always comes back!

    Reply
  548. Holly Finan on

    As a young girl one of my favorite books was The Secret Garden. It helped to shape my understanding of, and ability to access, my own inner, creative garden and to find comfort and solace in the visual wonder of so many beautiful and varied gardens I have visited in numerous countries over the years. This foundation grew into my own love of gardening and into the ability to see a unique beauty within everyone I meet. Wherever I travel in the world, flowers befriend me.

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  549. Juniper on

    The Secret Garden, of course! Beauty, tenderness, strength, mystery, wistfulness, and the idea that things unfold in their own time and are beautiful at every stage.

    Reply
  550. Tori on

    I was such a big reader as a kid (and still am!) My favorite books were the Harry Potter series. When I was youngest I also love magic tree house, and black stallion. I loved reading as an escape. My school library had a lot of old books (it was an older school) so the language was a bit different, more formal, and I’ve found that it has largely impacted the way I speak.

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  551. Patty Luke on

    I loved the Little House On The Prairie books. I now enjoy living away from the city and people. The peace of the country and a more simple life speak to me.

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  552. Oona Cava on

    As a child, my favorite books—fictional as well as true stories—were about girls and women throughout history and how they lived- especially stories about surviving and thriving in nature: Laura Ingalls Wilder, Karana in The Island of Blue Dolphins, the heroines in Jubilee Trail and in The Singing Joneses, Opal Whitely. As an adult I see how many of these stories glossed over or twisted the crucial fact so that theses adventures were at the expense of cultures being displaced, mostly indigenous cultures. I’m glad that these days the wonder and magic is often (but not often enough) centered around these cultures, so that hopefully today’s readers have a better understanding of the true history alongside the wonder.

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  553. Rose on

    My favorite books as a child were about Henry Huggins. I think my favorite one was Henry Huggins and the Clubhouse. These books highlighted a simpler time, and showed the special relationship between a boy and his dog (Ribsy). Now, years later, I am encouraging my grandchildren to read these memorable books by Beverly Cleary.

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  554. Felicity on

    Hello I’m so excited to hear about Zoe and from my country of birth!
    I love seek and find books and always brought them for my 3 kids, we equally enjoyed the search over and over.
    Thanks for introducing me to this wonderful flower grower and the beauty she and her mum being into the world 🌸

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  555. Julie Becker on

    Fairy tales and allegories! Chronicles of Narnia is my all time favorite trilogy. And give me a good princess story anytime. These stories taught me to look past the mundane and realize the magical in life.

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  556. Meg Greving on

    Those are some seriously dreamy photos! My favorite type of books as a kid were historical fiction. I’ve always felt like I was born in the wrong decade, and as a kid in the suburbs, I loved reading books with farm animals, hard work, and everything homemade and homegrown. Now as an adult and a mom, I work hard to make sure my girls get to experience and soak up the homestead life, even though we’re currently living in the burbs. We just have to borrow the farm animals experience because our HOA won’t allow them🤪

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  557. Karen Zischke on

    Where The red fern Grows. Snuggled with my mom as she read to me, she having to stop reading as we are both crying. The Mother Daughter bond from these two growers and artists is inspiring

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  558. Jenna on

    The first books I remember reading growing up were the Magic Tree house series. I also loved horses and got into the Phantom Stallion series. The Boxcar children were another favorite. I was an avid daydreamer as a kid and I guess the books I loved to read reflected that. They were full of adventure and exploring or being creative and I loved the places each book would bring me to. I’m still a dreamer as an adult. I may not have acted on all of them, but I still find it fun to dream up a hypothetical future whether it comes to fruition or not.

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  559. Julia on

    My favorite books were the Babysitters club. As far as shaping me as an adult, I’m not sure! But it sure inspired me to work and have fun with kids as a teenager.

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  560. Emanuela on

    I was and still am fascinated about all fairies and little creatures that live in flowers and magical small acorns… I guess I did not want to grow up, these days I am planting seeds of flowers, hoping some fairies will find their home in my garden.

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  561. Donna Young on

    Nancy Drew Mystery Books. I saved my allowance and bought every one as they came out. I still love mysteries in all aspects of life! My mom let me have a little corner area of the yard as my personal garden! It was always so exciting to see what came up since I tended to pack it full of EVERYTHING! Today, I’m finding great joy in seeing what I can grow and cultivate. It’s all a mystery! ❤️

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  562. Bonnie Lai on

    Most of my favorite childhood comfort books celebrated the power of female friendships: Anne of Green Gables, the Betsy Tacy series, Ginnie and Geneva series, Nancy Drew. Also loved Beverly Cleary, Little House on the Prairie and Agatha Christie.
    Still enjoy dipping into them as necessary!

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  563. Ahna Hughes on

    My favorite book growing up was “The Big Friendly Giant” by Roald Dahl. As a child I read this book over and over again. It was recently re-released and when I read the news about the censorship, I took some time to think about the symbolism and motifs behind The Big Friendly Giant and Sophie. When I think about my journey to entrepreneurship, I always felt different. Much like the giant, I didn’t possess the same characteristics as my peers in an office setting. I felt and behaved differently until I found flowers and became a wedding florist. When the BFG spends time in “dreamland” placing them in jars and bestowing them onto children, it feels akin to my experience of bringing a couple’s vision to life and sharing the joy of what flowers can do to tell a distinctive story.

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  564. Tressa on

    My favorite book as a child was Boxcar Children. I loved how the children were so clever and could survive out in the woods.

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  565. Lucy LaFayette on

    My favorite books as a “horse crazy” child were the Black Stallion books by Walter Farley.

    Reply
  566. Lourdes Burson on

    As a kid my love for gardening came from my Mom’s passion for her vegetable garden. Planting seeds, caring for the plants along their journey to harvest time. I had a thirst for knowledge and my Mon wound by me encyclopedia style books to learn about garden, the weather (which has such impact on gardening) and I fell further in love. My can’t recall these childhood books by name but I am forever indebted to the knowledge building blocks they gave me.

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  567. Kelly McMullen on

    I loved all kinds of books but especially mysteries like Nancy Drew, the Bobbsey Twins, and the Boxcar Children. I suppose it’s reflected in a curious and analytical outlook as an adult.

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  568. Rhiannon Le Fay on

    As a child, two favorites come to mind. I loved the book “Roots, Shoots, Buckets, and Boots” by Sharon Lovejoy – all about gardening ideas for kids. I also loved fiction stories with strong female leads. These kinds of books have helped shape me by showing me how to be strong and determined despite many other social messages telling me otherwise and also how important it is to me to be connected to the earth in intuitive and creative ways.

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  569. Julie Sikkel on

    Early on I remember ‘Ann Loves Red’ which celebrated the love of a color with such enthusiasm:) I also enjoyed the Katie John books which highlighted the curiosity and fun-loving spirit of a tomboyish girl. Both of theses books bring back fond memories of simpler times. Zoe’s book looks amazing and the photos are breathtaking!

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  570. Chelsie Moreland on

    Hatchet by Gary Paulsen. I read it in 4th grade with my class and we all were amazed at his perseverance for survival and hardship.

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  571. Sara Siegel on

    I loved “choose your own adventure “ books! They helped me be prepared for anything as an adult and to never become complacent.

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  572. Donna Self on

    Growing up in an all male household my love for anything magical, girly, or hypnotic was intense. I’d find myself lost in books especially ones containing nature, animals, flowers, rocks or weeds. As an adult I’m still drawn to anything creating energy. Flowers are definitely a spirit animal for me. My love for nature and all things colorful stems from its ability to transform any and all. I’m definitely intrigued to venture into this artistic beauty contained in a book.

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  573. Kaibah Koski on

    I loved Richard Scarry books! All the different animals going about their busy lives. It made the life ahead seem so crazy, chaotic & fun! To see the different animals of all colors, shapes & sizes working together. My two favorite books of his you could search for Goldbug on every page! It has kept me searching for that little special thing everywhere.

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  574. Susie D'Amico on

    My favorite book was our big atlas. I especially loved the rocks and gems. The names and colors filled me with joy and sent me on my love affair with curiosity and nature. I would want Zoe’s book just because I may never get to NZ . Seeing her work would fuel my imagination and bring joy. Thank you.

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  575. Erin M on

    I loved Lucy Maud Montgomery’s series beginning with Anne of Green Gables. Her description of the outside world was so vivid. I remember one summer, I must have been 11 or 12, when I put a chair by my window in my room and fastened the curtains behind the chair to create a little nook. I read that entire series that summer in that nook, with a view out the window into our flowery backyard. It was easy to lose myself in that world. No other books have made me feel quite that way. I plant more and more every year on our small farm in Oregon. It’s interesting to think that some of the inspiration for what I’m trying to achieve with this place visually comes from those books.

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  576. Karen Schaeffer on

    This looks like a gorgeous book! We’ve been talking about wanting to visit New Zealand, it seems like such a magical place. Thanks for sharing this but of it with us.

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  577. Lisa Christopher on

    Growing up I enjoyed adventure/mystery books with a little sprinkle of romance. Imagination and creativity help shape me into a thought provoking and problem solving adult working in my career field. Recently, my sister asked me for my input with designing her front landscape for her family’s home. We found it very rewarding selecting plants that would bring her joy and interest throughout the whole year. We wait in anticipation for spring to come soon!

    Reply
  578. Allison Torpen on

    Oh my goodness, I absolutely adore the the pictures on the interview! So beautiful!
    I am 14 and have a dream of growing my own flowers, arranging them and seeling them in gorgeous bouquets. I would say my favorite book when I was about seven was Mr. Bell’s Fix-it shop. It’s about a sweet old man who owns a fix it shop and his granddaughter comes in with a broken doll. His sign on the door says, “I fix everything, except broken hearts”. He thinks he can’t fix the doll, but in the end he ends up repairing it and the little sign on his shop now says, “I fix everything, even broken hearts”. I have memories of my grandpa reading this book to us over and over, while us grandchildren were clustered around the sofa peering over his shoulder.
    Thanks for asking!

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  579. Sarah on

    One of my favorite books growing up was a book called “The Mitten” by Jan Brett. I was drawn to the beautiful illustrations and the sweet fun story of a boy who lost his mitten in the snow and these woodland creatures who find it and all start to pile in to the freshly knitted mitten. As they continue to join each other the mitten stretches and stretches until all the creatures go flying. The boy finally goes out and searches for his mitten and finds it curiously all stretched out with no idea all the little woodland animals tried to find warmth in his mitten. This book, along with other books on nature and wildlife have definitely played a part in my curiosity of the natural world and all of its beauty. The book just makes you want to go out in the snow in the woods and see all the wonders. I am so drawn to it. I think this is part of why I love growing flowers in being in the dirt. :)

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  580. Chessy on

    What a beautiful book!
    As a child and still today I love books about old fashioned living in the country. My favourite collection is my Holly Hobbie series that I cherish and reread often!

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  581. Mary Ann Setliff on

    Mystery books !! The Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, Alfred Hitchcock and The Three Investigators. Although I read everything I could get my hands on pretty much.

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  582. Monae Guercio on

    My favorite thing to read as a child were the zoobook magazines my grandmother bought me and all my sisters a subscription to. So many beautiful and interesting animals with games mixed in.

    Reply
  583. Michelle James on

    Little house on the prairie had the biggest impact on my childhood. I loved the whole family aspect of them weathering every storm together and living a hard, but more simple life.

    Reply
  584. Patty H. on

    I’ve been an avid reader my whole life. I do remember my favorite book which I reread MANY times….The Secret Garden. I dreamed to escape and journey on adventures which led me to my love of travel, I guess.

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  585. Cheryl on

    I was home-schooled from grade 3 and the way through high school so I was assigned many different books by my mom. The first book that comes to mind is “To Kill A Mockingbird.” The title in itself is a beautiful reminder that hurting the innocent is the worst crime of all. From this book, I’ve learned never to judge someone or something before you truly know who or what they are.

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  586. Camilla Herold on

    I loved books so much as a 5 year old that I would open one up and pretend to read it! I especially loved one book called “Jingle Bell Jack.” My grandmother’s neighbor often read it to me. It’s about a little girl who helped her mom make a clown doll for her out of pieces of fabric. My grandmother, aunt and mother were all expert seamstresses, and my grandmother owned a little store called”The Little Mending Shop” back when mending was preferred over buying new. This book captured the magic of sewing for me. As I grew up I developed sewing skills of my own, and these days I make quilts and other useful things out of mostly scrap fabric. Recently I was riding with a friend in her car, and she had all sorts of fabric and sewing notions in the back seat. Suddenly I noticed a little circle of fabric exactly like those that Jingle Bell Jack was made of! I hadn’t thought of that book in many years (I am now 65) and was awash with emotions! I found a used copy online promptly bought it. It inspires me every day as it reminds me of that magic feeling that hand sewing still gives me. I still love books too and these days am developing a gardening collection, which will soon include Erin’s books and this one as well!

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  587. Megan on

    I loved Nancy Drew. I still love putting the pieces together and identifying the problem (diagnosis) as an adult. My daughter loves seek & find books, this would be wonderful to look through together.

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  588. Kellsy on

    Great interview! I loved books that personified bugs and animals and even plants. I still tend to give personalities and voices to all the creatures I come across while gardening! My boys think it’s funny! LOL! It’s the reason I chose to garden organically and to use no kill methods to deter pests from my plants above and below the ground :)

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  589. Ann on

    I loved Shel Silverstein and his illustrations. All of the Golden Books. The Velveteen Rabbit. And any book with historical style drawings depicting flora and fauna! As a designer, I have always gravitated towards aesthetically pleasing compositions (as done in Lost & Found), even as a child.

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  590. Rachel on

    I loved any type of book that required a heightened sense of imagination – like “The Phantom Tollbooth” or “The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles.” I would spend hours outside on a picnic blanket enjoying the weather and reading my books! I hope that Zoe’s flower farm is OK after the storm and the community will recover quickly. Thanks for the opportunity to win a book, it looks gorgeous.

    Reply
  591. Sadhvi on

    Zoe, I enjoyed reading about your love of flowers. I love then all too, but I collect different poppies and photograph them as they open, which is only for a short while, depending on the weather. But then I love roses too, with my favorite being Chrysler Imperial because of its deep red color, but maybe too, because its fragrance takes me to another place.

    Reply
  592. Brittnie on

    I loved picture books as a young child, but didn’t fall in love with reading until I read fantasy novels as a teenager. I’ve fallen in love with other genres since then, but still have a love for anything extraordinarily imaginative. I have three young kids at home and find myself mostly reading children’s literature once again. So I’ve started a book club for other young mothers and we share children’s books every month. It’s a highlight for me every month!

    Reply
  593. Robynne Raye on

    I loved all books when I was a kid, but one stood out and I found myself going back to it throughout my life. It’s P. D. Eastman’s Go Dog Go! A kids book about dogs, cars and a search for the big dog party. The book reflects my love of animals—and specifically dogs. Thanks for the interview.

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  594. Jean on

    I don’t remember having any favourite books as a young girl, but we grew up always had lots of books available. My Mom always enforced 1 hour of “quiet time” after lunch during the summer break, and it was usually spent reading. Around 8 or 9, I fell in live with the Boxcar Children series and the story of Heidi. I read the Boxcar Children series to my children and now my grandchildren. Would love to add Zoë’s beautiful book to my collection. It would be a fun one to share with my granddaughter!

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  595. Julia on

    I loved reading anything about nature as a child – and especially when I was outside. I really felt connected to the natural world and the learning aspect was so appealing to me.

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  596. Katie on

    I’m a Fairy tales reader! The magical descriptions are what got me hooked!

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  597. Susan Frans on

    I absolutely devoured the Nancy Drew books, but as a younger child I was fascinated by Alice in Wonderland and horrified that the Red Queen chopped down all the red roses!

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  598. Deborah K on

    I was and still am a voracious reader. I began with what was at home… my mother’s set of Nancy Drew’s and a few Cherry Ames’. Then someone gifted me with a huge Hans Christian Andersen and I found my vibe in not only faerie tales but also the illustrators. Rackham, Duracell, Robinson, and. my favorite- John Bauer. THEN one summer day, skinny and bored teenaged me found a little book with an interesting cover at the library up the street. The first page began “ In a hole in the ground lived a hobbit”. And there began a lifelong journey. When the Jackson movies came out I had a pair of boys who loved to read and a husband who didn’t. The Lord Of The Rings movies boded us and we have journeyed together through Tolkien, through Lewis, and thus through the Star Wars and Marvel universe. I forget to mention that I devoured all my uncles marvel and DC comics too. ( he’s 2 years older) so I was already prepped for nerdom.

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  599. Alice-Ann Whiteneck on

    When I was young, I played, I did not read. However, one time when my childhood friend was reading “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn”, I decided to try it. I loved it. Years later, after college, I was still not reading in my leisure. A workmate was encouraging me to change as he felt I was missing out on something very important in my life. He suggested a book called Kane and Abel. I could not put it down. My fervent reading habit started there. What I realized as I had not been picking books that were interesting to me. Now I read all the time but most always pick subjects and authors that make me want to keep reading!

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  600. Patty on

    Such a joy, these flowers God gave us. Just beautiful. Congratulations Zoe!!

    Reply
  601. Elisa Allen Arias on

    As a child I loved adventurous stories of children in Nature – the Laura Ingalls Wilder series, Hatchet, Julie of the Wolves, Island of the Blue Dolphins. And now as an adult, I am most happy in the wild places and on our small farm, conversing with the plants and animals of a place.

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  602. Chere Tournet on

    Such a wonderful question to answer! I read so many books as a child and loved them all, from horse stories to mystery series. But my favorite were biographies. In third or fourth grade we were allowed to go to the bookshelves after we’d completed our assignment. I remember these blue-covered books all line up together. They were biographies of folks like George Washington Carver, Amelia Earhart, and Abraham Lincoln. The artwork (which I have always loved) was all in silhouette style. How I enjoyed learning about these people. My limited, young world was enriched and expanded. In later years, as a freelance writer, I so enjoyed interviewing folks for profiles. Again, simply learning about others was so inspirational and I enjoyed presenting these print articles to our readership. Thank you for asking!

    Reply
  603. Kim on

    My favorite book as a child was “The Best Nest” about a bird family trying to find their perfect home. And the defect home was when they were all together. I remember crawling up in my grandfather’s lap and he would read it over and over. And my mom probably read this book to me thousands of times. When my kids were little I instilled my love of this book in them. And we would all agree, the perfect home is when we are all together! On another note… this flower book is beautiful! A huge congratulations to Zoe!!

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  604. Tracy Reese on

    I had the luxury of living down the street from the local library. What a great escape! I had a love of any strong female character, which ultimately made me strong, I feel. Now I look for strong female role models in everyday life. I am a workshop student for 2023 and am overwhelmed by how much I don’t know. Thanks Floret and all the 2023 workshop participants for being strong, “can do” women!

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  605. Pamela Pitt on

    I read whatever I could get my hands on, it was an escape to different lives and worlds. Some of my favorites were the Hardy Bous and Nancy Drew, all comics, and fairy tale books. Going to the the books fairs were my highlight of the year. It was glorious. James and the Giant Peach was my all time favorite. An inspiration of what friends can do for you.

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  606. Suzanne Niedrich on

    As a child growing up, I loved perusing through National Geographic magazines and looking at all the amazing nature photography. Zoe’s book looks to be a similar experience and has heightened my desire to visit her country. Maybe participate in one of her floral workshops while there. How fun. Thank you for offering a chance to get her beautiful book.

    Reply
  607. Beverly Byer on

    Thank you, Erin, for this wonderful interview and for brining Zoe’s story to us. I loved my visit to New Zealand, many years ago, and this brought back some lovely memories. I loved to read as a child and my Mom would take us to the library each week to pick up another batch of amazing stories. I had many favorites at that time, but I always went back to Adventure stories like “Robinson Crusoe” by Daniel Defoe; I think I read that book each summer for 3 years!

    Reply
  608. Jacqueline Carr on

    I loved yet feared Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are. I fully felt the turmoil at being sent to bed without supper, imagined what the arduous journey across the sea must have felt like, and had to summon the courage to look at the pages of the rumpus as the illustrations of the wild things actually scared me! But then I became older and braver and loved it as is. It’s amazing how our perceptions change as we grow!

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  609. Catherine MacNeal on

    I loved books and read voraciously as a child. I loved Winnie the Pooh and knew all the poems from When We Were Very Young and Now We Are Six. I loved The Little Bear séries and later The Little Prince, which features a rose!

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  610. Anne Phernetton on

    As a young child, I read every Little Golden Book I could get my hands on! In elementary school, I always gravitated toward the biography section. I think I read almost all of the biographies in our school library! As an adult, I am really a ‘people person’ so that fits with the interests I had growing up.

    Reading is such wonderful way to learn about our natural world, cultures, and it’s peoples. I love getting new books, and flowers are my passion in nature, so would love to get Zoe’s new book.

    Reply
  611. Amy Van Guilder Dik on

    Anne of Green Gables from my childhood was hugely influential for me! I felt like a kindred spirit. I could identify with her love of nature and beauty, coming up with creative names for things and places, being often misunderstood, her longing for friendship and achievement, and her passionate outbursts. As an adult I still marvel and am filled with wonder at the beauty of creation, and I don’t think I could appreciate it quite as much without Anne.

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  612. Tracy on

    I loved The Boxcar Children, The Secret Garden, then Trixie Belden and Nancy Drew mysteries. Like you, I liked the search pages in Highlights magazines at the Doctors office-we didn’t get the magazine so it made going to the dr.s office a little less painful…

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  613. Kristen Gray on

    I enjoyed the Bobsey Twins and Nancy Drew series growing up. Also books on horses or dogs. I loved the independent nature of the characters solvingysteries in adult world. The dog and horse books were my dreams of wanting a dogandahorse.

    Now I read plant books and gain information on different varieties and a glimpse into that world.

    I have enjoyed the floret books and other booksrecended on this site. I look forward to reading this ew took from down under.

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  614. Ann Munson on

    I was that girl who loved all things horse, spending hours drawing them and living for every other Thursday at 4pm when I could have a riding lesson on my favorite old black horse, Peanuts, at Jimmy Rainwater’s Flying Horseshoe Ranch. Misty of Chinoteague was a book I wanted to live in. Fast forward 60 years, I care for my sweet 34 year old black mare, Misty, and the upper pasture is now the location of my flower farm. Understanding animals and the landscape is the hallmark of my life.

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  615. Kimberly on

    As a little kid I loved the classics, Alice in Wonderland, Grimm Fairy Tales etc. By 8 I read everything, it didn’t matter. I was particularly obsessed with my grandparents 9 at the time) up to date Encyclopedia Britannica and their 40+ years of National Geographic. I could sit on their couch and explore, space, time and the world. My current library reflects all of these and so many more. Professional books, horticulture, YA, fantasy, graphic novels, literature etc. I can’t walk away from a new book.

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  616. Claire.P on

    Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes is my childhood favorite. The main character is a mouse named Chrysanthemum, and it’s about embracing your own uniqueness. This book has helped me to value myself, who never fit in, and others — even if we don’t see eye to eye, there’s something unique and special about everyone to appreciate. I of course love that the main character is a whimsical little mouse named after a beautiful flower.

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  617. Sarah Solawetz on

    I fell in love with reading thanks to my 6th grade teacher Ms Savard. She would read to us the most amazing stories that would capture my imagination and I couldn’t get enough. I would pour over books all through my life and still think of her. Super grateful to have had her influence and the time she took to read to us all. All the books I have enjoyed have helped transport me to insights into different worlds, people and cultures. Will always love a good laugh over reading Calvin and Hobbs.

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  618. Holly Dykstra on

    I have always loved books. As a child I loved picture books with beautiful colors and landscapes- preferably with some adventure or exploring element! A favorite book was “Mandy” by Julie Edwards where a young girl finds a hidden cottage and deserted gardens and secretly brings them back to life! A dream!

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  619. Sandi on

    I read all the Nancy Drew books when I was young and loved each one. I’m sure I read others, but those came to mind first. Loved them!

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  620. Shelley McLendon on

    As a child I was a voracious reader- anything I could get my hands in really. However ‘From the Mixed up Files of Mrs Basel E Frankweiler’ was a favorite. Oh how I dreamed to live in the MET with all those amazing things and see them solo without distraction!

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  621. Nancy Crease on

    As a child I loved reading mysteries and still do today. I still have my old Nancy Drew books on a shelf! Reading mysteries has made me more curious as an adult. I love to explore and learn new things. Thank you for the article and sharing this beautiful book!

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  622. Abigail Hight on

    I loved to read Fairy Tales when I was very young; as an adult now, I tend to be an optimist, and am always open to the influence of something magical to enter my life! Sometimes the “magic” is my own appreciation for friends, family, nature, or what we can cultivate ourselves. Thanks for celebrating the beauty we can add to the mix!

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  623. Shan G on

    As a child, I loved fiction books we are children traveled to other land. With a real or medicine, I was always transported with them through the stories I read. An adult, I think it helped to shape my goals to travel and share travel experiences with my children as often as possible.

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  624. Patricia on

    As a young child I had a lazy eye, which made me different, so two things kept me occupied paint by numbers kits which I would gift to loved ones when completed and books! I spent a lot of time on my own but books transported me! A book worm for all things magical. Now as a senior adult volunteering in a special garden in our city I am always learning & transfixed by the other volunteers flower arrangements, sold to supplement our gardens desire for the next must have for an arrangement ! Covid limits travel but books give us the escape we need Thank you for sharing this treasure!

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  625. Cassie Diesner on

    When I was growing up I was very into Nancy Drew. I couldn’t wait to go to the library to rent the next copy! I believe that her curiosity helped me to learn that’s it’s good to be curious too!

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  626. Anna Nelson on

    I can’t remember a single book so to say but a lifestyle, a refuge, a runaway . Where there was hurt at home , there lied hope in between the pages. My love for reading has continued as an adult and has helped me adopt the philosophy in life that our own stories matter. Our stories is the one thing nobody can take away from us. Story, to be seen and to be heard is what we all long for at the end of the day

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  627. savannah on

    a book that is special to me is a book about people who make a difference in life and who i can learn from( your books included) i love books that just by holding it can make you feel the time and love that was poured into it.

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  628. Carlie on

    Before I could read, I would definitely spend hours in the seek and find books. Once I could read, I spent most of my time in fantasy books. I think I loved them both because it felt like you were in another world where anything could be found.

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  629. Britta Adams on

    The Jolly Postman was my favorite book as a child and I relieve the enjoyment over and over again as I see it through the eyes of my children. The clever rhyming cadence combined with the main character being a postman visiting familiar fairytale characters makes for an entertaining read. The pages have envelopes glued in with removable letters so the book invites the reader to engage in a whole new way. An interactive delight with a Christmas sequel we enjoy when the holiday trunks come down from the attic.

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  630. Cheryl Roe on

    It looks like a wonderful book. I really didn’t have any books as a child that inspired me with the exception of the book Hawaii. My mom was probably the biggest gardening inspiration.

    Reply
  631. Robyn on

    I loved the series” The Great Brain” when I was a kid – Though the main character did not always have the noblest of intentions, it taught me a bit about the art of negotiating and that there’s more than one way to get something done!

    Reply
  632. Tamera Zmierski on

    Beautiful pages, as a photographer myself it will be such a double pleasure to read and view my two favorite things. Nothing more alluring than a book of shared stories, beautiful photography, and flowers.

    My favorite Type book is anything that will pull you into it’s whimsical and playful world.

    Reply
  633. Christie on

    I devoured books as a kid and still do. There was a book store and library a few blocks from my house and where I would spend most afternoons. I do remember loving choose your adventure books, then later babysitters club and sweet valley high moving into more developed thrillers by Christopher pike and RL Stine.

    Reply
  634. Sheryl Eggleston on

    The only book I had as a small child was all about fairy tales. Later in Jr and Senior high school I was able to access the library where I found ‘The Hobbit’ and other adventure stories. I’m sure that explains my penchant for dreaming up new adventures in travel and creativity.

    Reply
  635. Andy on

    The Bobbsey Twins were fun books to get lost in.
    My mothers Encyclopedias had the most beautiful pictures from places and animals around the world. Growing up on a little farm in the middle of Illinois the photos were so magical.

    Reply
  636. Sandy on

    I read over 60 books each year, and my first love was definitely fantasy and mythology. Robin McKinley’s novel “Rose Daughter” (a retelling of Beauty and the Beast) cemented roses as the most romantic flower in my mind. My grandfather grew many beautiful roses on a tiny suburban lot in NJ, and decades and three moves later I still have one of his roses growing in my Virginia yard. I would love to spend time lost among the flowers of “Lost & Found”

    Reply
  637. Beth on

    As a child I loved riding my bike to the library. I can still smell the books. My favorite were Raggedy Ann and Andy books and Peanuts. I checked every single one of them out. We had tons of series at home – Happy Hollisters, Hardy Boys & Nancy Drew and many more. We also had a set of Encyclopedias with awesome pics that I liked poring through and using for books reports over the years. I would love a copy of this book because the seek and find aspect is so cool! I have signed copies of almost all of the I Spy series from when our kids were little. We still get them out and ‘play’ with them! I’m ordering the book either way.

    Reply
  638. Amysue Strickland on

    My favorite book as a child was The Giving Tree. It taught me that you shouldn’t use up the things/people you love and enjoy. You can share happiness with others and not use them to the point of no return. If you use up all of what brings enjoyment to your life, you’ll be longing and sad for the rest of your life. People or objects that give us joy should be cherished and celebrated forever. That’s what’s awesome about nature. As long as you cherish and celebrate it, it will always be there to bring you joy.

    Reply
  639. Gloria Waddell on

    Trixie Belden Mysteries! I would devour a book, save -save-save my little allowance to buy the next one, and then consume it as quickly as the last, oftentimes under the covers, late at night, with a flashlight. I passed my books along to my nieces years later, and will share them with my granddaughters when they’re just a little older. In the meantime, we play detective together, and spy together in the back yard. There’s always a mystery to solve!

    Reply
  640. Sarah on

    As a young girl, I would wake before anyone else in the house, pad out to the living room and read Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder. So many hours were joyfully spent lost in those pages with Laura on her many adventures in the fledgling frontier. And now my own kiddos love the series too!

    Reply
  641. Dani B on

    I was most interested in fantasy and fiction as a kid. It was a way to escape and really ignite my imagination. My favorite books started out by authors like Madeleine L’Engle and C.S. Lewis and I treasured a copy of The Wizard of Oz I have from the 1950’s. Then I graduated to books by Anne Rice, Stephen King, Peter Benchley and Michael Crichton. I fell in love with science fiction, horror and the melding of the two. I remember reading Dracula for the first time and just being completely captivated. I still enjoy those types of books today. It is funny to me and interesting to my family that I am such a bright, colorful, fun person, with this love of elegant flowers, but I have such a passion for all things horror and macabre. I think I am fascinated by the balance of good and evil, by the juxtaposition of beauty and ugliness, which is also found in nature all the time.

    Reply
  642. Monica on

    I loved (and still do!) C.S. Lewis books – I remember our teacher reading The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe to us each day – my favorite part of the day. Also loved Island of the Blue Dolphins and Anne of Green Gables. Congratulations on the new book ladies!

    Reply
  643. Tess on

    I read anything I could get my hands on as a kid, books were my favorite friends. I remember being truly changed by a few: where the red fern grows, modoc, the wizard of oz series.. I mostly loved books about adventure and animals. My brother wanted me to come play outside with him so he would make a wagon cozy for me with blankets, stuffed animals, and my books so I could be out in the garden with him and keep him company.

    Reply
  644. Ashley on

    I read all the nature books, I wanted to know everything about all the animals lol! Today I know so much random facts about animals, that only helps if we are playing trivia games or sometimes when watching Jeopardy lol 😂

    Reply
  645. Gloria Sizemore on

    I loved going in our little library in grade school and reading the autobiography’s of different people. They were just short little stories about famous people. I realize now how much I love people and love to hear their stories. We should all care for others and listen to their stories, I think it would make a better world. Don’t you ?

    Reply
  646. Elizabeth Sallee Bauer on

    I absolutely loved a collection of books of National Geographic photos. I later became a photographer very much inspired by those books.

    Reply
  647. Erin on

    I loved historical fiction as a child—the ‘Dear America’ series was a particular favorite. It shaped my perspective that everyone’s story is so intertwined with factors outside their control!

    Reply
  648. Anne Martin on

    I have already purchased Zoe’s book as I imagine reading it with several of my grand babies who love flowers and gardening. But, another one that they can have would be nice. Our favorite books as I raised my four babies were The Where’s Waldo series and The Choose Your Own Adventure Series. I got to revisit my childhood through my kids eyes and conversation as we interacted with those books. We also liked the fill in the blank short stories closure activities that my 4 th graders would listen to me read to them after they supplied me with nouns or adjectives or adverbs to tell the zany story. It made waiting for the bell to go home for the day short order. The laughs because they controlled the story were priceless. Thanks for this interactive book. Kids and adults love to be invited into the written word and you are fostering the beginning of a long relationship with books!

    Reply
  649. Loi on

    I read so much as a child; some of my favorites were the series: Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, and The Bobbsey Twins. I loved finding the images in the Magic Eye books too.

    Reply
  650. Lexie on

    I always loved reading Little House on the Prairie. I loved her sense of adventure and playing in the outdoors. Now, my job involves protecting native vegetation and I get to hike in the mountains a lot!

    Reply
  651. Annie on

    As a child I loved kids books about real life people like Nellie bly or Marie curie. I’m very into science as an adult!

    Reply
  652. Mary on

    My parents were constant readers. My Mom would make weekly trips to the public library. My first book that I devoured was The Holsters and from there quickly moved to Nancy Drew books. I loved the mystery and suspense. Nancy was smart, brave and fun and I strived to emulate her. Plus I loved trying to figure out ‘who done it’ before the end.

    Reply
  653. Jenny Rose on

    As a child, I was drawn to stories of nature and animals. I immersed myself into the pages for hours and entered the world I found inside. Little House on the Prairie with Laura Ingalls, All Creatures Great and Small by James Harriot, The Lion, The Witch and The Waredrobe by C.S.Lewis. Magical tales. I continue to love children’s books – the stories and the illustrations. The Quiltmakers Journey is a lovely illustrated book of find things amongst the stunning illustrations. Like your beautiful looking creation!
    Your book looks like a work of art!

    Reply
  654. sarah hart on

    I loved the Laura Ingalls series and Nancy Drew and couldn’t wait to see what would happen next, frequently reading under the covers with a flashlight. I still have trouble putting a book down! I loved reading rhyming books with my kids, and we loved the I Spy series for sure – and Eric Carle’s colorful picture books!

    Reply
  655. Becky on

    I read “Where the Red Fern Grows” several times and cried every time. It taught me that following your dreams is totally worth the journey even when tears come. Really there are so many books, but of the classics, “Little Women” was probably my favorite. “Little Women” taught me about family love and strength and to follow your dreams (Jo’s desire to be an author) even when difficult.

    Reply
  656. Kate Karwan Burgess on

    My favorites was my dad’s collection of National Geographic Magazines. I remember sitting on the floor in my underwear flipping through the pages before I could read any of the text. I remember a baby orangutan in a big bowl getting a bath on one cover. I am a photographer now and the style photojournalism is still my favorite, finding the beauty in every day moments and places. In recent years I’ve been pulled towards flowers, mandalas, and abstract suns. I don’t think there were any books that directly contributed to that, but it’s more of an evolution of my love of circles and patterns which I do think may have some root in the physical shape of lens on my cameras, so maybe it is all connected. :-)

    Reply
  657. Kim on

    Nancy Drew was my favorite. I loved the fact that she solved the mysteries without having to rely on boys for help. I still enjoy mysteries as an adult and I think the Nancy Drew series was the catalyst.

    Reply
  658. Janice Marr Eisner on

    My dad introduced me to Madeleine L’Engle‘a A Wrinkle In Time as a young teen, and I was hooked on Sci-Fi for life! Next was Heinlein and Ray Bradbury, and now I’m a lifelong reader, always looking for a new author to try. John Scalzi is one of my current favorites. I’m currently rereading Kim Stanley Robinson’s Forty Signs of Rain Trilogy. My dad influenced me to be a constant reader, always carrying a book with me for that few minutes of waiting time that I can fill with a good tale.

    Reply
  659. Denise Twist on

    I read EVERYTHING as a kid, but some of my fondest parenting memories are snuggling my Littles while spying objects in ISpy books – their delight at spying before I did will forever bring me joy.

    Reply
  660. Tamera on

    My favorite Type of book were Berenstain Bears for their whimsy and imaginative scenes. It makes you want to step in and explore.

    Reply
  661. Valerie Cline on

    Some may find this unique and others will get it, My Book Of Bible Stories. As a child illustrations, artwork & color have such a memorable impact. I can visualize to this day seeing those pictures for the first time. It holds those stories in my mind. On a different scale we see nature flowers and color throughout our lives and build those same unforgettable memories that will say with us for life as well. The beauty we see in art flowers and nature what a gift!

    Reply
  662. Annie Halvey on

    In looking back I was irrevocably influenced by the watercolors used in Beatrix Potter & Tasha Tudor illustrations, (among other children book illustrators, no doubt).
    The pigments used for the illustrations evoke the translucent palettes of the natural flowering world….

    Reply
  663. Leah Coffee on

    I read everything I could get my hands on as a child. I was the kid who read the shampoo bottle and the back of the cereal box! As an adult, I continue to love stories of all kinds, and always take a book with me, wherever I go.

    Reply
  664. Stephanie on

    As a very young child I loved having Mom read me fairytales. It truly fueled my imagination which is still going strong. The catch, though, is that I didn’t like reading myself. That all changed in fourth grade when, while dusting, I opened up an original Nancy Drew my grandmother had given me (think WWII-era) to see what it was about. I loved those books! I have been hooked on reading ever since. No matter if it’s fiction or non- it all works my imagination. Plus…. Courtesy of those old books, I am now a serial reader – I have multiple books going at the same time and cannot not read something in front of me.

    Reply
  665. Stacey Davis Jacobs on

    What a feast for the eyes! Thank you for interviewing Zoë a second time and introducing us to her extraordinary new book. I loved going over and over all of Richard Scarry’s books as a child. They definitely had a seek and find component, and I realize now that they presented the world as being full of sort of mundane but simultaneously magical things and pursuits.

    Reply
  666. Diane on

    Nancy Drew is first thing that popped up as favorite childhood books. Have fond memories of my cousin visiting and we would sleep in the attic bedroom, laugh and giggle and read our Nancy Drew books. She sent me a picture of Nancy Drew’s “Case of the Missing Toilet Paper” during
    Covid, LOL! And who could resist those books where you had to look for something! Thank you for introducing us to another treasure and great interview. Book looks amazing!

    Reply
  667. Jaime Preston on

    I loved the Anne of green gables stories .. such a dreamy story full of love and triumph it made me rethink about having a dream and appreciate the beautiful details of this world.

    Reply
  668. Jennifer Friedman on

    Without a doubt – Charlotte’s Web. From the moment Fern ran out the door to fight injustice – I knew that children’s books could change the world- And now I am a school librarian! And I have grow lights in the library – because after we read Harlem Grown – we will be starting seeds!!

    Reply
  669. Amanda on

    I have always enjoyed stories of getting lost in other worlds… like the Chronicles of Narnia… The Secret Garden… Bridge to Tarabithia… even today I find myself getting lost in my daydreams.

    Reply
  670. Marta Bechtel on

    I loved all books that took me to a new world or place. Books transformed the way I see the world and life. But the first book to deeply touch my heart was,”The Shy Stegosaurus of Cricket Creek” by Evelyn Sibley Lampman. I was about 7 years old, and to this day I still remember how deeply her story touched me.

    Reply
  671. Michelle on

    I would go to the Library and take out the.book series Little House on the Prairie, I grew up in a rural county side and I think the connection to gardening and needing to have a connection with growing both flowers and food in part has played a connection to my adult life. Thank you for the give away, it’s always a pleasure to connect with see into the lives of others interested in the same passions.

    Reply
  672. Nicole on

    As a child, I read a lot of series-little house on the prairie, babysitters club, etc -not sure how those stories shaped who I am however, I’ve continued to be a voracious reader -mostly if cookbooks and any gardening book I can get my hands on—which help me relax, dream, plan and reap heaps of delicious food and flowers! Tii hi is book looks stunning!! Congratulations Zoë!

    Reply
  673. Mary Spiewak on

    I had a nature book that featured mimicry. It had many photographs of insects, mammals and birds that used mimicry as a defense mechanism. Their version of hide and seek!! I always loved the outdoors and all of nature. It’s no wonder I became a biologist and a Master Gardener in Illinois.

    Reply
  674. Jean Marie Adams on

    I can not remember a time when I was not reading. I would read anything. Even biographies!
    I did love the Trixie Belden series. And I still LOVE to read. And garden, and arrange and play house. Thank you for all you do Erin. You are amazing!

    Reply
  675. Dori Mccartney on

    I think this book will be a perfect addition to an afternoon on the porch with a tall glass of icy lemonade! As a child I loved The Boxcar Children and imagined what it would be like using my creativity to make a life in the cool woods!

    Reply
  676. Heather on

    I loved reading mysteries – maybe that’s why I love mystery podcasts now and why I love learning new things!

    Reply
  677. Lou Ann on

    I loved and still do Beatrix Potter books. Am now enjoying sharing them with my grandchildren.

    Reply
  678. Danielle on

    I read every genre of book growing up. Turns out I homeschool my 7 children so books are life right now! My newest hobby is flowers so this book would be much enjoyed by my daughters and I.

    Reply
  679. Susan Spivey on

    I loved books that showed the strength and compassion of children. Fern in Charlotte’s Web and Matilda from the title that bears her name were two of my favorite characters. Today I continue to enjoy stories that show the resiliency of humans and the desire to make the world a more beautiful and caring place. My current read is Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. This lovely book offers gentle reminders of our responsibility to protect the earth.

    Reply
  680. Tracy Marino on

    The secret garden and the little house on the prairie series were always my favorites! It spoke to simpler times and a connection to the outdoors as a way of healing

    Reply
  681. Jamie Daugherty on

    My favorite books as a child were, The Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I learned that working with your hands is important and bad things happen to good people, pushing forward is a must. I am very crafty and I enjoy making things in my she-shed. My crafts have been my sanity through life. I plant flowers and a garden every summer, working in the soil grounds me. My grand daughter helps me and it is teaching her the process.
    My life has been filled with the loss of loved ones but I push forward, trying to find the beauty in the day!
    On a personal note, I was able to visit Laura’s house, in Missouri. I was pleased to find that she was short like me, her kitchen cabinets were built for her height. I stood there and smiled.

    Reply
  682. Rosanne on

    It’s amazing how your question prompted how a book might have had such an impact on me. I never realized how The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, read when I was 11 years old has touched me throughout my life (now age 65). Children forming friendships, the invalid boy, the magical garden (I seem to recall it was gated?) I can feel the landscape surrounding the children, the healing of sunlight, the bonds they forged, and the image of the book cover (mine has lovely pinks and greens). Once, when my friend was trying to determine what to do with a spot in her backyard that was accessible only through wild branches entwined and hanging over head that she was planning on clearing, I said “No! Leave them…add a gate instead and you can have your own secret garden” And that, she did. Later, when searching for a new home for my husband and I, we chose a home (I should say “I” chose) where the yard in back felt like a secret garden hideaway (again because it was so overgrown). To this day I am moved to bring “could be friends” into my life and the lives of others, and cherish lovely garden spots that are tucked away. Especially ones with a view of the sea…even if it’s just one you see whilst peeking through a pocket of flowers or branches or just over a stone wall. It’s dreamy.

    Reply
  683. Anne Marie Estrada on

    I enjoyed reading the collection of Nancy Drew books and over fifty years later still have them. Nancy solved mysteries and was smart, independent and stylish and a good role model for me growing up with three brothers. She was the older sister I never had. I gained confidence and inspiration from her which was helpful in the future particularly entering a male dominated business environment. I am grateful to share this, it was a nice little trip down memory lane. Best wishes always.

    Reply
  684. Karen Waldron on

    As a child I loved to read Tasha Tudor’s books especially, “Rosemary for Remember.” It was given to me on my birthday one year and I remember the lovely flowers with each month of the year. I guess in those tender young years my love of flowers bloomed possibly from many of the illustrations in Tasha Tudor’s books.

    Reply
  685. Taylor Yoes on

    The Chronicles of Narnia were read over and over. My mother would read them aloud to us on car trips and the story of adventure and redemption will always be one of my favorites.

    Reply
  686. Katelyn Posego on

    I love the Nancy Drew series. The mystery behind every novel was just thrilling. To this day I love the suspende genre.

    Reply
  687. Nancy Waller on

    When I was young I was obsessed with Nancy Drew. I loved trying to solve the mysteries as I read the book. As an adult I have always been interested in the “back story,” how a company looks from the inner workings. I have sought that out working for one of the upscale hotels where I live at the front desk and working with caterers. Both of these jobs have displayed some beautiful flower arrangements in their environments. The hotel would have arrangements for the lobbies delivered weekly and working in catering I have seen fantastic arrangements at weddings, birthday and anniversary celebrations. I have learned a lot from observing these examples over the years, both in placement and color combinations. It has been my great pleasure over the years to try my own arrangements for friends, delivering them some joy and comfort in both good times and times of loss.

    Reply
  688. Davia Mcnamara on

    As a kid I was always into biographies about the underdog I like to believe be it taught me to always keep fighting and trusting my drive even when things seem impossible. I still have to reference those thoughts and beliefs daily now that we’re farming.

    Reply
  689. Josh McAllister on

    I remember as a 10-11 year old having this book about outer space. It was about everything from the planets and moons of our solar system to black holes and galaxies. I remember being in awe of how vast our universe is, which makes me even more impressed with the smallest details in life. Somehow, realizing the infinity of space and therefore endless possibilities out there, allows me to appreciate the beauty and intricate details of a petal, a grain of sand, or the bark of a tree.

    Reply
  690. Pamela Filzen on

    Repetitive books were my favorite to read as a kid. The less well known Suess books are still a favorite of mine to read to kids. The quirky pictures that expand a kids imagination are also fun. New Zealand has always been a dream trip of mine.

    Reply
  691. Michelle on

    I was obsessed with gardening and animals. King of the Wind, Call of the Wild, Where the Red Fern Grows, Julie of the Wolves, My a side Of the Mountain Black Beauty Black Stallion, and all the garden catalogs I could find.

    Growing plants has been my life’s passion. My existence revolves around growing plants and observing nature.

    Reply
  692. Lori on

    How do you pick just one!? Even as a little girl, I had stacks of books by my bed, waiting to be read. I loved series because I could really deep-dive into the characters – Little House on the Prairie, Nancy Drew, Judith Bloom books. That carried over to my daughter too as I purchased books for her long before toys. I read to her before her birth, and her love of books is as deep as mine. It’s just one of the many things we share now.

    Reply
  693. Katie Bell on

    Mystery books, because the main characters were always against the odds figuring out how to overcome challenges…this is often the essence of life, continuing to try despite the odds and challenges.

    Reply
  694. Helen on

    I love the Laura Ingalls series! As a child, it sounded foreign and beautiful to live in America before it was settled. As an adult, I can read the books with my children and it gives me a lot of gratitude for modern comforts like toilets and running water!

    Reply
  695. Joanne Cosh on

    I read every book I could find! Then I read to my children!!
    A bookmobile would be my source of books

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  696. Nicole Williams on

    Paddington Bear, mostly because my dad read it to me. It shaped me by showing me the importance of reading to my own children, which I did for many, many years. Now they are grown.

    Reply
  697. Danyelle Burkart on

    I was not read to as a child and don’t remember any books during my early years in school that stand out much but in my 40’s when I began homeschooling my two daughters my love of good books and especially classic children’s books such as The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter, Make Way for the Ducklings, All Things Big and Small by James Heriot, Little House on the Prairie, Winnie the Pooh, The Wind in the Willows and Animalia by Graeme Base opened a part of my heart I never knew was there. It is my dream one day to share these beloved books with my future grandchildren.

    Reply
  698. Megan on

    What a gorgeous looking book and an interesting interview. As a young child I loved anything with colorful illustrations which has now translated into my interest in colorful photography!

    Reply
  699. Michelle Enns on

    I loved books about the great outdoors and the people and animals who made it their play place. Jim Kelgard is a great author. I also loved “Summer of the Monkeys” and “Where the Red Fern Grows.” There’s something about stories that show you nature at its best that inspire you to get out and create that place of wonder and excitement with the space you have.

    Reply
  700. Suzanne on

    My father was an experimental gardener, growing what HE liked and when he succeeded it fueled him to grow more. It has become my way and now I earn a living being a ‘gardener’.
    When I was young, The Secret Garden was such an inspiration & continues to be. Creating hidden spaces with plants is satisfying, even the patience required for everything to grow is cultivated. Being near a crowded street but creating a place that feels secluded & lush is dreamy.

    Reply
  701. Victoria O’Berry on

    As a child I loved to read books with great stories and beautiful inspiring thoughts. I am still an avid reader with a deep love for words and beauty. A favorite of mine is The Secret Garden, and I love the beautiful way that finding the garden and nurturing it brought healing to so many.

    Reply
  702. Laura Sutter on

    As a child I would love to be read to. The closeness and relationship that formed was wonderful. I do love flowers now as an adult because my mother and grandmothers did. Now I’m sharing my love with my children and their spouses. One of my favorite things is reading about and learning about new flowers plants and trees.

    Reply
  703. Karen on

    I loved all kinds of books as a child, and I think that broad range of interests has carried over! I love a good variety of things now, and I love chatting with the people who love their hobbies or careers.

    Reply
  704. Gracelyn on

    The Secret Garden was a book my mother read to me when I was about 6 or 7 years old. I’ve reread the book and listened to an audio version many times since. I felt drawn to the characters with their secrets and troubles, the beautifully strange darkness of the rainy days up on the Moor as described in the book, and mostly the dear old secret garden itself, with it’s creative powers of healing and health. I think that book pushed me to appreciate nature and flowers more, although I always have loved them; the graphic descriptions of an old dying garden hidden from the world behind crumbling stone walls and ever-climbing ivy sounded fantastical and yet, real, to me. The way the book was written and how the out-of-doors was described helped me to visualize more strongly the depth of the healing that went on in the children.
    I have done a bit of gardening myself in recent years, and even though I don’t have much of a green thumb, I do so enjoy being out in the fresh air and warm sunshine, working with the very dust and earth from which we were made from. The Secret Garden has all in all, encouraged the true inner child in me to grow and thrive most particularly when outside, around the trees and skies and flowers.

    Reply
  705. Pilar Bauta on

    The Giving Tree was one of my favorite books as a child. I have always felt a deep connection to nature and animals. This book holds a special place in my heart.

    Reply
  706. Kendal H on

    My Mom introduced the wonder of stories very early on in my life by reading me a chapter or two each night before bed. Eventually I started to read the chapters aloud and finally reading whole books on my own. Nancy Drew was my first love, the puzzle/mystery to solve and her inquisitive nature really resonated with me. As I got older I found the same joy in Agatha Christie novels as well as MANY other authors and genres. Lost & Found looks gorgeous and it would be a real treat to win and enjoy every page.

    Reply
  707. Deborah Fisher on

    I have always loved and shared with my granddaughter all the books by Jill Barklem, The Brambly Hedge Series. The enchanting garden adventures along river banks filled with flowers along the paths everywhere. The houses in the tree stumps are amazing! It has totally inspired me to have my home be a sanctuary away from the stresses of the world. Thank you the way you present your product. I just my daughter seeds from you for her garden!

    Reply
  708. Sarah Stray on

    The thing that had the most effect on me wasn’t one book, it was my Dad’s love of reading. He went through three or four novels in a two week period. Every two weeks, we went to the library on the same day. They all knew us. I’d flitter off to the kids section while he picked out books or just walk through rows. I was the youngest kid in town to get my own library card and the librarian have me a gold locket necklace that I still have. Eventually, my Dad handed me an adult book and said here, I think you’ll like this. It was a mystery about an Egyptian tomb. So I have an avid love of reading, currently have six books on my nightstand and love of hanging out at the library.

    Reply
  709. Robyn Anglebrandt on

    I love I spy books but reading each night to the children is fun for me with “Aunt Pitty Patty’s Piggy”. I love the rhythm books.

    As an adult my husband bought me Florets Flower books(2 of them) and now I can’t wait to add to my collection. I just started working with a wedding florist and am in love with flowers growers( not grocery store bouquets) flowers. I hope to grow some of my own with your wonderful seeds and start something new for my children and grandchildren. The love of dirt and growing your own beauty in a vase.

    Reply
  710. Michelle Bunce on

    When I was 6 yrs old I was gifted a copy of an illustrated book titled “Gnomes”. I imagined these mythical, tiny beings lived in the forest, under flower petals, next to streams- everywhere in nature. As an adult I love to walk in nature, still hoping to spot a tiny gnome house. It reminds me that nature is “home” to many creatures. It’s respectful to take care as we visit these places.
    PS: a father in my neighborhood built fairy houses tucked along the path he walked with his young children, to be discovered. Is there anything more sweet?

    Reply
  711. Meagan M on

    My mom was an art student and had so many art and photography books laying around! I especially loved a Picasso book with all of the fun colors and shapes

    Reply
  712. Renée Fisher on

    On a library visit, I found “A Wrinkle in Time” when I was in the 4th grade, and I felt like I had discovered a secret of the universe that my friends didn’t know about. I believe that book was key to opening my young mind to possibilities beyond the stuff I was being taught in school.

    Reply
  713. Lindsay Richard on

    My favorite children’s book is Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey. My mother took my brother and I on many Berry picking journey’s, and I credit this experience as what planted the seeds of my appreciation and wonder for agriculture. I related to the uncomplicated sweetness of the story and the first tastes of freedom going off into a row in the patch to either feast on berries or to try to fill my bucket. As an adult I can really appreciate the quality of line work in the illustrations, and how the subtle expression of the characters and landscapes add just enough information to perfectly capture the mood of escape and wild fantasy.

    Reply
  714. Katie on

    Growing up, I adored the Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I was equally entertained and inspired by her stories, I wanted to BE her. Though my life is very different I find that now, the things that give me the most pleasure are working in my own home cleaning, baking bread, and working on my own land. I know those stories shaped me!

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  715. Shelley Winship on

    I loved books that had an elements of magic, magical powers—Edward Eager comes to mind. I think they helped develop in me a sense of wonder, which to this day is stirred most by the beauty no of nature:

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  716. Angela Ross on

    Oh The Places You’ll Go by Dr Seuss – such encouragement ;) I gave a copy to each of my younger cousins as they graduated high school. DREAM BIG friends!

    Reply
  717. Susie Middleton on

    My very favorite book as a child was Ferdinand the Bull, because Ferdinand preferred to sit and smell the flowers rather than fight! I still have my dog-eared copy. But the Lost and Found books also remind me of Richard Scary’s books, where I loved all the little illustrations of everyday things.

    Reply
  718. Gae Morris on

    I love horses. Read everything I could on these beautiful creatures, owned a pony at age 6, grew into a horse at age 10. Still love them, but no longer have one in my back field.

    Reply
  719. Virginia Talbert on

    I loved all sorts of books as a child and the library was a thing of wonder to me. As an adult the same holds true, with the result being wide and varied interests. I can hardly wait to see this new book, which sounds exquisite!

    Reply
  720. Jenny Barton on

    My favorite book as a child was The Velveteen Rabbit. I’ve always been a sensitive person and that book helped me to understand compassion. I feel that honoring others and what they are going through is so important. Part of the reason that I love flowers so much is getting to share their beauty with others to brighten their day.

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  721. Lisa Irwin on

    Blue Willow by Doris Gates is a lovely tale of a migrant farm worker’s daughter who has one blue willow plate that she relishes. She gazes into the plate and dreams of a permant home and garden. For me it symbolized gazing into something small and creating a world. As a child I went on to create tiny moss gardens on the stone outcropping of my aunt’s garden, not far from her weeping willow…. Heaven! Years later I became an artist, a marketer, and finally a garden designer.

    Reply
  722. Lorna Corso on

    In my childhood days my dreams were filled with flying. I would spread my arms wide and soar over mountains,, forests and valleys. I loved those dreams – adventures limited only by imagination. My escape in those days were books and my dreams. The books I read – the books that inspired me and pulled me into my hidden reading place – were books of adventure and travel. A story where a small, shy girl became a part of the adventure with a lesson and a happy ending. I soared in my dreams, in my imagination and through books. I learned to be brave and always imagine what could be.

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  723. Courtney Smith on

    Animalia by Graeme Base: artful, full of surprises and wonder for the animal world.

    Reply
  724. Eryn on

    Growing up in a family that moved around a lot, I loved reading about families in small towns and traditions. Especially loved anything about how things were in the “olden days” ! One of my favorite books from childhood is A Time To Keep, by Tasha Tudor. I’ve always loved her beautiful illustrations!

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  725. Kim on

    Books with secluded gardens, tucked away blooms, and a little mystery were always a favorite. I loved the quietness of the image I pictured in my mind.

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  726. Taylor on

    As a little girl I grew up reading the Little House On The Prairie books. When I was younger my mother would read them to me, and I would get lost in imagination of field roses and wild violets out in the prairies. It was such a simple time. Continuing reading them these days I still get swept away by those same pages.

    Reply
  727. Jami on

    One of my favorite books growing up was Shel Silverstein’s Where the Sidewalk Ends. It was my first introduction to poetry, the perfect introduction for a child:)

    Reply
  728. Katrina on

    As a child I was always drawn to animal stories – full of adventure and heartbreak and discovery and relationships and life. I still have an appreciation for animals and a sympathy for them, but my attention has turned more to caring for people and their lives and struggles. The animal stories developed a sympathy in me and a desire to understand life from another’s point of view.

    Reply
  729. Mary K on

    I was most interested in fiction or real stories that were fictionalized, as I loved being immersed in the story, it made it seem all that much more real to me. (To-the-point dry history books were my least favorite.) The lovely thing about fiction is that everybody comes away with a different impact from it—I think, for me, it’s been a better appreciation and awareness of the beauty of life, basically, how to immerse myself in my own life. If that makes sense.

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  730. Michelle on

    I LOVED to read Nancy Drew novels, they are so full of mystery and adventure! In many ways Nancy was a role model for me- she’s such a strong young women, relentlessly working to solve the problem and absolutely NAILING IT!

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  731. Karla B Santoro on

    This book looks like a treasure for not only the eyes, but of the heart and mind as well. It might be the thing to make me pause, slow down and savor. As a youngster, books were so important to me, as they are now. My love of the written word is quite contagious, and the best way it was used is to ignite a passion for all things wordy with my students over the years, no matter what age. It such a joyful pleasure to see such a passion passed on.

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  732. Kelley Kalinich on

    My favorite book as a child was, “The Secret Garden” by Frances Hodgson Burnett. From the cover to the last page, I was enchanted by the idea that there was a “secret garden” that had been abandoned and was there to not only tell of the past, but held the opportunity to become a beautiful part of the future. My mother, a life long gardener, as was my grandmother, gave me the book. I, too, have a love of gardening that I was able to tap into upon my retirement a few years ago, when I went through the studies to become a Master Gardener. This has set me on a path to try to learn, share and inspire all things gardening with the people in my life. Becoming a Master Gardener has also taught me that I have so much to discover and explore in the world of gardening, so my love of all things floral has developed into a life-directing passion. Lucky me!

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  733. Frances on

    Thank you so very much for this interview! It is so filled with grace and creativity and of course, beauty from all those luscious flowers and those tending to their growth. My favorite book was a little book called, “A Child’s Garden of Verse”, it was a collection of beautiful poems. These poems were illustrated in what looks like, rich gouache paintings and the words evoked vistas in faraway lands as well as those closer to home. Many thanks.
    Frances

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  734. Jamie Desmond on

    Zoe’s book and her creativity is stunning! I loved all the Mother Goose nursery rhymes and the colorful illustrations but as a preteen I discovered in my parents’ collection of books, The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck and was captivated by the story. I read it later as an adult and still consider it one of my favorites.

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  735. Kelsey on

    I loved all of the Little House on the Prairie books and now I have a little homestead and *trying* to raise and grow all of our food!

    Reply
  736. Larochelle on

    Books wasn’t something encouraged as a child living in a 3rd world. However I was always drawn to images or book covers. With the very limited library that we have in school, I would always skim through books and look at pictures which later developed my interest with graphic novels/comic books. When I moved to the states at 10, I read my first book (Harry Potter) and that opened my interest in reading and fantasy!

    Reply
  737. Julie on

    I enjoyed the Trixie Beldon books and anything off the William Allen White reading list each year. I developed a love of reading at an early age and still enjoy taking a book outdoors and reading in the garden.

    Reply
  738. Mary K Murphy on

    Illustrated Fairy Tales launched me into a lifelong love of nature and the outdoors.

    Reply
  739. Julie Melilli on

    I loved the book The Secret Garden and I’ve been working to create my own secret garden ever since!

    Reply
  740. Cheryl McKay on

    As a child I loved books about fields and forests and gardens – and the magic they contain. I believed that there were small spirits always around. I still do. I am a lifetime gardener, a willing participant in helping the make the planet more beautiful and sharing the joy of planting with others as much as possible.

    Reply
  741. Holly Hagy on

    As a kid, I would spend hours at the library. I found that there were specific books that I would check out over and over and one of them was a little story about a fire fly named Torchy. I loved this book and actually have a copy now. Now my favorite books are those about roses and flowers and gardening.

    Reply
  742. Jessica on

    As a kid, I loved adventure books, especially ones that took my imagination to far off places. Heck, I still love a good adventure story.They fuel my love of travel, visiting new places and help me see my own familiar places in a different light.

    Reply
  743. Taylor on

    A book that stands out to me from my childhood was Misty of Chincoteague. It’s about two kids who find a pony from the island of Assateague and raise it. It made me want to visit the islands, which still to this day hold their annul Pony Penning Week where they round up wild ponies and swim them across the channel between the islands to be auctioned off (only some; for population control). It was their relationship with their pony that really made me want a horse (even more than I already did). I did end up having horses after that and I learned a lot lol. But when I was 20, we went to Chincoteague and I stood out on the beach at 4 a.m. to get a good spot to watch the ponies swim. I spent all day at the fairgrounds watching the wild ponies and I nearly bid on one during the auction! I love how the community is still small there. It was a little girl’s dream come true.

    Reply
  744. Merritt Dupon on

    Being extremely visual, I loved anything with pictures. I especially remember a book I had of fish that I would look at over and again. Encyclopedias were fascinating!

    Reply
  745. Helen Davenport on

    The Secret Garden. I know it sounds cliche but it provided me a glimpse of another world that could be mine. The peace and beauty. At 69 I still read The Secret Garden and find the same solace as a child. There’s nothing better than my hands in the soil, planting and watching the resulting beauty emerge.

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  746. Suz on

    I loved adventure books with children finding a way to work with the natural world to survive–The Boxcar Children, The Chronicles of Narnia, My Side of the Mountain…I felt very empowered by these books and often spent hours outside trying to “live off the land” like my heroes. I still think of these books fondly!

    Reply
  747. Joeleen Davis on

    Helen Keller
    An incredible story of perseverance. I read this book when I was about 11 and it just stayed there, inside me and I have never given up no matter the circumstance.

    Reply
  748. Merry Hanson on

    My favorite childhood book was “The Farthest Away Mountain” by Lynn Reid Banks. It tells the tale of a bright, curious girl who embarks on an adventure to discover the mystery behind the ever-changing colors of snow on the mountain in the distance. Her passion to know carries her through many fears and mishaps. I feel like her journey parallels my own in so many ways; motherhood, farming, homeschooling, growing as a violinist. It’s those passions and inward longings that keep me pressing on. I never thought about the parallels much until now. Thanks for the fun assignment! :)

    Reply
  749. Becky Van Dyk on

    I loved joke books and also poems. Especially the humorous and clever poems by Shel Silverstein.

    Reply
  750. Sharon Hoskins on

    I loved the Hardy Boys & Nancy Drew books
    Growing up. This book is gorgeous!!!!

    Reply
  751. Heidi on

    I loved fairy tales and books like Heidi, The Little Princess, and The Secret Garden, where good triumphs over evil. It has helped me as an adult to be able to look for the good in every situation. And now when I’m working on my “bit of earth”, I think of my childhood “friend” Mary, and the robin, and I smile.

    Reply
  752. Janet on

    Unfortunately as a child I was not introduced to the wonderful world of books with the stories they hold. Trying to navigate that world now! Happy to hear Zoe and her farm are safe. Praying for those who need help and the people trying to help.

    Reply
  753. Beth H. on

    Mysteries… always mysteries. Bobbsey twins, Encyclopedia Brown, The Great Brain changed to Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden then on to Sherlock Holmes, Agatha Christie (of course!), and Mary Higgins Clark. Still love finding new authors to read and puzzles mull over.

    Reply
  754. Ann Forrester on

    What a great interview to read. So enjoyable to learn more about you, your farm and your book. A favorite book series of mine when younger was Little House on the Prairie. So many adventures and life lessons as families pulled together to make a life for themselves. It truly shaped my world view and it sounds as though you experience something similar working so closely with your parents on the flower farm. Just love it!

    Reply
  755. Lynn Wilson on

    Dating myself as well, I have to say the books that got the wheels in my brain churning were the Nancy Drew mystery books, which I discovered after reading most of the Hardy Boys series. I was thrilled that Nancy was clever, adventurous and independent. I’m sure my subconscious was saying, “If she can….”

    Reply
  756. Diane Karchner on

    I think the intrigue of the now-simplistic Nancy Drew mysteries were a favorite. Although I had to borrow many as we could not afford a library-full, each one seemed to nurture a sense that there was mystery all around me. And that has inspired my gardening, its constant unfolding, its surprises and its sadnesses.

    Reply
  757. JoAnn M Sienkiewicz on

    Pollyanna (Eleanor Porter) and her glad game, Heidi (Johanna Spyri)and her wildflower covered Alps, and When I Was Young in the Mountains (Cynthia Rylant) with her coal cracker grandpa all bring me back to St. Clair Elementary School , in Miner’s Mills, Northeastern PA, where bouquets of violas and lily of the valley were plentiful, and my grandma grew the best roses…it drilled in me the importance of nature, hope, and always remaining positive!

    Reply
  758. Melanie on

    I loved Lurlene McDaniel and Beverly Cleary books. Also reading all of the Babysitter’s Club books was a must. Also had to have my Highlights magazine. My love for reading and experiencing the power of words influenced me to become an English/Reading teacher. As an adult, I still find joy in getting lost in a good book.

    Reply
  759. Linda on

    As a child my mother more often pushed us outside to play with our own imagination. As I got a bit older I spent hours outdoors with a sketch pad drawing landscapes and horses. My mother painted still lifes mostly with flowers, often collected from our fields. I grew up loving everything about the land and the beauty it encompassed. My favorite books were about animals, farming and gracious living. Martha Stewart’s books and Victoria magazine were favorites of mine during my early years. I am always inspired by books that showcase the beauty of the land.

    Reply
  760. Nicole Balanoff on

    When I was little, I wanted to be a veterinarian and loved books about animals. Fast forward to adulthood…. I’m not a veterinarian but I still have a great love for all animals. I enjoy supporting organizations that protect wildlife. My love of animals feeds my passion for gardening by growing plants to support pollinators and birds.

    Reply
  761. Fran F on

    I loved The Secret Garden. I also loved Chip Chip, Chap Chap and Chop Chop , a Little golden book about three Chipmunks who outwit hunters and save their forest friends.

    Reply
  762. Jill Armstrong on

    As a youngster any book to do with horses was my jam! It taught me many of the skills I needed to care for having my own. Like a flower I got a youngster , a seedling , put in the work like a flower feed water nutrition and alove affair was born. I owe it all to my first book. The black Stallion.

    Reply
  763. Edyth Willard on

    I have always been a gardener since at least age 5 on my grandparents farm where there were beautiful flowers for me to tend. In between helping Grandma I loved reading Wind in the Willows as my most favorite book.

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  764. Vicki Kommes on

    I loved the old Jessie Willcox Smith illustration books. One illustration in particular was called “The Senses: Smell”. The painting depicts a child smelling flowers- foxgloves and a variety of others. Jessie’s illustrations were so dreamy. Those illustrations, along with my maternal and paternal grandmothers love of gardens shaped that same love of flowers that I have.

    Reply
  765. Kelly McRaith on

    I grew up by my Mother reading to my 4 siblings and me every night before bedtime. I collect vintage floral and fauna books as my favorites now as they bring me great joy in the wonderful pictures and valuable information that is still essential for my imagination.
    I have been creating landscape gardening for many years and I can always find an new inspiration to my designs.

    Reply
  766. Carol Beaulac on

    I loved books that my imagination placed me within the setting. All the senses were active in the storyline. Children of the Covered Wagon introduced life in the prairie which I would imitate during my schooltime recess.

    Animals who had conversation invited me, the reader, into cabbages, carrots and Farmer McGregor, nearly missing capture from the garden! These beloved Beatrix Potter stories brought me along as an adult. I read her book on how she designed gardens and in turn drew the illustrations for my well-loved books.

    That same emotion in my reading imagination connects with wonder as a bud emerges. I delight in the discovery of color in the garden as plants illustrate what i imagined when first placing seeds in the soil.

    Reply
  767. Giselle Young on

    Throughout my children’s elementary years we read Frog and Toad, Magic School Bus and various books of exploring and learning always with a theme of humor woven through. Using our senses and creativity a quality nurtured by nature. We would escape to imagine something only to find it in our neighborhood and celebrate that find.
    Today I find joy in combining found flowers in my yard w roses and irises and small treasures nestled in a tea cup or jelly jar or bottle. Each is gifted to someone to encourage.
    Thank you for encouraging and growing our floral families 🌸

    Reply
  768. Allison on

    Amelia’s Notebook series were my favorites, loved the inner monologue style and the charming illustrations!

    Reply
  769. Karen B on

    I grew up in church in the 1950’s being born in 1947. Wild flowers were everywhere in all colors, shapes, and sizes. I loved to pick them, arrange, and give them to elderly people. The Bible has been my first and still is my go to book. How our God created so many different plants and flowers still amazes me. He gave us all plants to sustain our bodies and beautify our lives. I cannot bend over any more but sprinkle flower seeds then pray whatever God wants to grow, it grows. In our bloom time in southern Illinois I make little bouquets, take them to church on Sunday mornings and give them away to brighten the days of others. God bless you as you bring the beauty of flowers and photography into the lives of others.

    Reply
  770. Susan Hayden on

    I’ve loved to read for as long as I can remember. The Bobbsey Twins books were favorites as well as Black Beauty. These books inspired me to keep reading

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  771. Sally Wells on

    My favorite books as a child were Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, and Through The Looking Glass. They taught be to become – like Alice – fearless, curious, and open to all kinds of possibilities that life might offer.

    Reply
  772. Naomi Robinson on

    I absolutely loved books as a child and still do as an adult. I have two clear favorites that stick out in my mind from when my mom would read to me when I was young. One favorite I remember very clearly was The Quiltmakers Gift because it was so beautifully illustrated and a wonderful story. The other favorite was Donovan Whilloughby, which I loved because it was so creative, I always wished the crayon forest was real. To this day I still love all things that are beautiful and add a little whimsy to life.

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  773. Noelle on

    Thank you for sharing Zoe’s story and new book with us! As a child I read pretty much anything I could get my hands on, but the stories that I remember most vividly were the adventure and sci-fi/fantasies! A Wrinkle in Time, The Phantom Tollbooth, and the Chronicles of Narnia stick out as some of my favorites. The characters in these stories, particularly the females, showed me that my quiet confidence could lead me to so many places. I am forever grateful that I had access to all of these beautiful stories, and can’t wait to introduce my new baby to them.

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  774. Ellette on

    Both of my parents were avid readers so of course all six of their children have followed in their example. I was sick quite often as a child and my father would go to the library and bring back a stack of books for me. My favorite of all time is “The Secret Garden”. Oh how I dreamed about having a garden like that! Now in my 60’s I do have a beautiful garden that my husband has built for me. Dreams do come true!

    Reply
  775. Lisa Corsale on

    Hard to say any one type of book- I had a mom who loved to read and read us all types. Needless to say, that would then shape us into children who loved to read. A lot of Newberry classics: Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze, Ginger Pye, Island of the Blue dolphins, The Witch of Blackbird Pond, Charlotte’s Web, A Wrinkle in Time, From the Mixed Up files of Mrs. Basil E Frankweiler, Mrs Frisby and the Rats of NIMH- All vastly different, all equally wonderful! As an adult, I read to my daughter, and now, she reads to her children. There is something about curling up with a book that can not be duplicated by online versions. I have copies of my favorites of my favorites-vintagy and wonderful- to pass on down to my grandchildren. The legacy lives on. I guess what I am trying to say is “Thanks, Mom”

    Reply
  776. Helen Baldwin on

    When I think of the books I enjoyed as a child I realize they all were stories rooted in the outdoors and contained the wonders and beauty of wild places and insects and animals. Although I spent many years working at a computer, I -after becoming ill and being unable to work- now work in gardens!

    Reply
  777. Susan Baughman on

    Looking back I think the most impactful book of my childhood was Little Women. Of course I wanted to be Jo but my personality was more like Beth. As an adult, I have read it again several times. It is interesting how perspective changes as an adult.
    The photos in Lost and Found are lovely! I would love to give this book to my daughter who is taking the Master Gardener course.

    Reply
  778. Jennifer Norton on

    I have always loved books! Any and every kind. A wonderful memory I have is of my sixth grade teacher, Mrs. Stewart, reading “The Call of the Wild” by Jack London to our class everyday after recess. She would allow us to put our heads down and listen to her read one chapter before we went to lunch. Of course, we would always beg for more! She read so many books to us that year in this way. No quiz, no writing about it…just listen and imagine. I eventually became a sixth grade teacher myself and then homeschooled my own children and continued the tradition. My students and my children all mention this as a special memory.

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  779. Debbie Kostolansky on

    Another beautuful book I would love to add to my collection. I’m going to need to buy a bigger bookshelf for my flower books!

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  780. Gayle on

    I remember only one set of books from my childhood.The Little House on the Prairie book set. I have always felt like I was born in the wrong century.Was it because of those books or did the books just feel like home?

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  781. Brianna on

    My favourite books I remember reading as a child are Little House on the Prairie and Heartland. Now that I’m an adult I feel myself drawn back towards that kind of lifestyle.

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  782. Katie on

    Growing up the book I was most fascinated by was a Nat Geo book about China. I would open it up and it would instantly transport me to another world. Most specifically a picture of a little girl dressed in the most beautiful and ornate traditional Chinese clothing. I would stare at that photo in awe and fascination at how spectacular her life must be ,full of culture and history and how different from my simple life.

    Reply
  783. Anne-Marie on

    As a child, I loved Atlases. Growing up in a small town, I was so curious about the rest of the world, other landscapes, other cultures… I guess it is was led me to learn foreign languages, and later on to study and live abroad.

    Reply
  784. Cristina on

    I love this interview and learning about Zoe and Sue. I’ve lost both my parents to cancer, but they were both big flower growers (hundreds of dahlias every year!) and they passed that obsession on to me. I like to think that in some parallel universe I work on a flower farm with them and hearing about Field of Roses lets me play with that concept a bit more in my imagination.

    I loved horror as a child. I sped through the Goosebumps series at the library and then was left hunting for more ways to get that safe, scary thrill of reading a horror novel. Now, I can’t stand horror, but I love finding thrills in other ways: slowing down to let myself get really excited by a sunset, a flower, skiing fast through the woods on a deep powder day, dancing in the living room with my toddler and letting myself feel his exhilaration and unbridled joy.

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  785. Cheryl Storevik on

    Since a child, I have always loved reading historical non-fiction such as stories about the founding of our incredible country or legendary expeditions to far-flung places. These books open windows on worlds filled with adventure, ones that show resilience of the human spirit and perseverance in difficult situations, the very qualities I’ve aspired to fill my life with. Stand tall, stand strong, and always be near a bouquet of flowers!

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  786. Glenne Stoll on

    I probably buy enough books to support the entire publishing industry, it started with anything about horses, especially artist illustrated. Now I have never owned a horse, but have lived my life as an artist obsessed with plants.

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  787. Tammy A on

    I loved to read as a child…I really loved old poetry books I would find in antique shops while my mom would look for antique items that she was on the hunt for. I also liked big heavy books, whatever the topic as I would use them to press flowers in. I would take some thick, heavy books with me when we went on vacation and pick flowers from that area and press along our journeys. Today I still like to press flowers and as of spring 2021 I am now an urban flower farmer. So books and flowers have always been a part of me.

    Reply
  788. Lynne Turner on

    I was that child who was always reading from a very young age. There wasn’t one specific genre, I just loved to learn and lose myself in the story of another world of characters. It really didn’t matter what it was, I would read every word of cereal boxes! I still have some of my favorite books from childhood including classics such as “A Child’s Garden of Verses” by Robert Louis Stevenson, many of the Nancy Drew mysteries, and some of my Mom’s cherished books from when she was a child.

    There is no doubt this love of reading shaped who I am as an adult, as by expanding your knowledge you bring so much more to your experiences and the people you meet. To this day, one of the things I treasure most is sitting beside my loved one while we are both lost in our love of reading!

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  789. Myra Marsocci on

    I loved fairy tales. We had a book, “after the sun sets” it’s a book of classics like Cinderella, Snow White and Rose red, Hansel and Gretyl, and not so classics : Snip the tailor, The princess on the glass hill and my favorite East of the Sun and West of the moon. These stories described fairies, brownies, pixies, giants, trolls, talking bears and women who spoke their minds and achieved rank of princess because their values and cleverness outshone and revealed their beauty. They were always set in nature, with just enough pictures. Truthfully it’s the art work that really captured me. So flowers, nature and magical creatures have always found me as I too look for them.

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  790. Amber on

    I loved so many types of books as a child especially those with beautiful photos and illustrations. I still love learning!

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  791. Scott on

    I was really into Stephen King when I was younger. I read often now and have recently started reading more books about flowers. My goal is to learn as much as I can about flowers and start a flower farm in the next two years. Thanks for the interview and this opportunity!

    Reply
  792. Susan C. Roberts on

    It was the old book of nursery rhymes and children’s stories that was my favorite when I was a child. My mother would read it over and over. I treasure the fact I still have this book after 50+ years of loving it. One of my favorite stories was about the garden fairies. The drawings were so beautiful and the flowers and fairies were as magical then as they are now. Reading took me anywhere I wanted to go, and now in my garden I imagine those fairies – I know they are there loving the flowers as much as I do!

    Reply
  793. Mélanie Dupré on

    Je me souviens que nous avions la collection complète des livres de Disney que ma maman c’était procurer avec un abonnement. C’était pas mal les seules livres que nous avions à la maison. Nous habitions sur une ferme, donc j’étais trop occupé à aller jouer ds les champs ou à la ferme voir tous les animaux :). Mais aujourd’hui en tant qu’adulte j’adore lire des livres qui parle de croissance personnelle, ou encore des livres de tricot ( j’adore le tricoter) et récemment j’ai découvert qu’il y avait des fermes florale , chose que je ne savais pas que cela existait. Je me suis tout de suite inscrit à une petite formation ds une ferme florale de ma région pour en savoir plus. Et voilà que ce printemps je commencerais mes premières semis de fleurs :) . Grâce aux graines de Florent Farms , Sem’s et Floramama . Maintenant j’en rêve la nuit , partir moi aussi ma petite ferme et regarder le bonheur pousser :) 🙏🌷

    Reply
  794. Colleen on

    As a child I was wanted to read as much and as many books as possible. I loved Golden Books, Dr. Seuss, and then on to Nancy Drew and Charlotte’s Webb. One of the first books I kept was People by Peter Spier. I still read a lot today and have written my own book. I’d like to garden, read and write and drink tea, travel and enjoy the sound of birds flitting around the yard.

    Reply
  795. LianeLaberge on

    Always loved anything that had to do with crafting (in all its forms)or should I say anything creative…
    Fashion, gardening and crafts(all of them lol) even cooking…theses passions I definitely inherited from my mom.
    Starting at a young age she shared her books, her knowledge and love for anything handmade or hand touched.

    Reply
  796. Cecile Stewart-Hamilton on

    As a child my favorite book was , Put Me In The Zoo.
    By: Robert Lopshire.
    It thought me to love who I am, and that all children/ people don’t have to be the same to be fabulous, we are all unique in our own way, and that’s what makes us fabulous, and now I get to read that book to my grandchildren.

    Reply
  797. Liz on

    Adventure books were my favorite. I loved reading Laura Ingalls Wilder books, and Nancy Drew mysteries. The Secret Garden was also a favorite of mine – magical!

    Reply
  798. JoAnne Felchner on

    My favorite books were the mystery series from Carolyn Keene. Mystery of the old Clock! Also have been obsessed with puzzles since forever so these flower photos are pure enjoyment!

    Reply
  799. Amelia on

    My favorite books as a child still are the discovery of another world, whether it be a magical one or a mysterious room in a beloved relatives house. I think make believe grew me into a curious woman. I like the ‘what if’ possibilities. I once read that it’s better to believe in the impossible and probable than probable and impossible. Isn’t that the life of a dreamer? And don’t dreamers grow the impossible, probably?

    Reply
  800. Anni on

    I gravitated towards books about misunderstood girls (Meg Murray of Wrinkle in Time, etc.) probably because I felt so out of the loop myself. I also read a lot of books about butterflies and flowers, so it’s no surprise that I’m now growing native wildflowers and teaching others about pollinator conservation.

    Reply
  801. Lisa on

    It was horse books all the way for me when I was little! :) I think I wished I could live on a farm. As an adult, I still love stories with a good landscape in them. I have always loved learning about the natural world.

    Reply
  802. Ruth Fisher on

    Growing up in South Africa, our libraries at that time were filled with books by English authors. I loved Enid Blyton’s series The Famous Five and The Secret Seven.
    I would bury myself in their adventures and ever since then have been fascinated by Puffin birds. Maybe one day I will see one in real life!

    Reply
  803. Lisa Applegate on

    The Country Bunny
    It was the strength of that momma rabbit

    Reply
  804. Lizette Marlow on

    Thank you for sharing your interview with Zoe. Her work is so beautiful and inspiring.

    As a child, I was introduced to the Bible story books by Arthur Maxwell. They were beautifully illustrated. It brought the Bible stories to life with images of God’s nature. I would get lost in the illustrations imagining what Eden must have been like when God created our earth. The illustrations drew me in as I learned to read and through the ten volumes learned about God’s love for us … for me!

    Reply
  805. Joy Pinkerton on

    As a child, I adored Robert Louis Stevenson and his poetry, along with beautiful illustrations and books that had belonged to my parents as children. They were soft and easy as well as beautiful!

    Reply
  806. JoAnna Easton on

    My favorite book as a child was Geraldine Belinda by Marguerite Henry. It has a softly rendered moral about selfishness and lovely illustrations in ochre, pinks & browns. Last year I planted a flower garden to capture that range of color. Many of the seeds were from Erin Florets: nicotiana Tinkerbell and the coral Amarenth were stellar in my bouquets

    Reply
  807. Julie on

    I loved reading as a child and still read a LOT! My older sister gave me books to read or read them to me and my Grandmother would sit and read as many books to me as I wanted! It was so great! I loved good stories and also beautiful pictures and still buy beautifully illustrated children’s books just to have. Books and flowers – what else could you want really.

    Reply
  808. Betsy on

    My favorites book as a child was “Rutgers and the Water-Snouts” by Barbara Dana. It was a mystery story that was solved by Rutgers, a bulldog, and his animal pals. I must have read it 20 times. I think what I loved most about it was the sense of adventure and the power of teamwork – two traits I carry to this day.

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  809. Becka on

    Shel Silverstein. The writing and the wonky illustration work, loved it. His invented characters who would “feed upon poets and tea”. Where the sidewalk Ends was a great warning about adulthood- where to draw the line. I think he was banned a bit- a shame. I’ve asked some friends if they read him when they were little and they didn’t know who he was (shocking).

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  810. Carole on

    The small books of Beatrix Potter were my books as a child and also all funny cartoon ,magical and fantastic!As of today these continue to live through me through making puppets comme to life with felt am working on a flower one, because flowers inspire me in so many ways from colors to textures to scents and multiple varieties hoping to inspire young people with this project !Inspiration from the fields , will surely help the inner artist in me TY

    Reply
  811. Amanda on

    Many hours as a young child were spent perusing seed catalogs and How-to books.

    Reply
  812. Katie on

    I loved Nancy Drew books and any type of mystery book! I’m still obsessed with true crime today :)

    Reply
  813. Hazel on

    Please help me get the interview

    Reply
  814. Claudia on

    I red Anne of Green Gables a lot of times!
    As Anne said: “This Island is the bloomiest Place”.
    Thanks to you both, Zoë and Erin, it’s delightful when your imaginations come true, isn’t it?

    Reply
  815. Lara on

    Miss Rumphius was my favorite as a child, and still is. I loved her adventures and the fact she was always striving to make the world more beautiful. Like Miss Rumphius, I, too, hope to make the world more beautiful, be it with roadsides abundant with lupine or sharing flowers in another way with the world. But, the book is a good reminder it IS possible to make the world a more beautiful place.

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  816. Kate on

    I love books about horses. Misty of Chincoteague, Black Beauty, King of the Wind… I just loved all books and reading in general. And now my 7 year old daughter is reading some of the same books :)

    Reply
  817. Cheryl on

    As a child, I loved books about mistaken identity–the orphan in ragged clothes who was really a lost princess, or the ordinary-seeming boy who was a genius. This trope calls out to us to become more and better than we currently are.

    Reply
  818. Lori Wallenhorst on

    My favorite books as a child were 2 large books my sister gave me for being her flower girl in her wedding. One was Beauty and the Beast and the other was about a little girl cleaning her very messy room, I cannot remember the name. I wish I had kept them to read to my children and now grandchildren. I loved them because of the vibrant large pictures in them. I was 6 at the time. I’m always attracted to any floral book with lots of pictures so I can envision where I would like to start my next garden.

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  819. Whitney Lawrence on

    As an adult, I feel drawn to the books I read like “The Secret Garden”, “Little House On the Prairie”, “Ann of Green Gables”. They were cute books when I was young but now I appreciate the way they lived and what they said. Gardening is a huge part of my life now and my joy. I appreciate making my land beautiful but also using it in a practical way to benefit my family.

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  820. Susan Watters on

    I loved many adventure stories and have always enjoyed planning and exploring new places near and far.

    Reply
  821. Johanne Moquin Gauthier on

    Quand j’étais petite mon premier livre que j’ai aimé étais mon livre de français de premières année .il y avait l’image de la phrase qui était écrite et cela me fascinais ,car je n’avais jamais vu de livre avant il n’y en avais pas chez moi, mais quand j’ai eu mes enfants (4) nos livres préférés étaient ceux de Beatrix Porter avec des desseins magnifiques pour accompagner de jolies histoires.

    Reply
  822. p molinary on

    magic carpet rides, still an adventure

    Reply
  823. Amelia on

    I was always enchanted with Barbara Helen Berger’s When The Sun Rose, beautiful warm illustrations that follow an afternoon play date of best friends.

    Reply
  824. Rebecca Charles on

    As a young child, I loved the Mr Putter and Tabby books, about an old man and his old cat who loved tulips and roses and tea. Amazingly, my daughter (4) discovered them as well and they’re now some of her favorite books.

    Reply
  825. Christina on

    Growing up in Canada I loved all the Anne of Green Gables books. I would dive into them, feeling a closeness with the characters and joy when the story unfolded so beautifully.

    Reply
  826. Barb H. on

    My favorite books when I was a kid were books that continued on and told a story. I especially loved the Little House on the Prairie series. My family is from Michigan and Wisconsin so it felt like it was so close to home.

    Reply
  827. Sue Jergens on

    Dr Seuss “Cat in the Hat”. This gave me the sense of “community” as when the friends came over to help clean up the mess. I am blessed with nit inly a wonderful family huy the village of friends that have become my family.

    Reply
  828. Mylène on

    Great interview! Zoe’s book is absolutely beautiful.

    One of my favourite books when I was little was The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. I had a strong imagination and really felt like I was following the characters on all their adventures. I also loved Anne of Green Gables and Pipi Longstockings. I liked reading about girls that had character. I was inspired by their gusto, independence and originality, and I think it shaped how I evolved as a young woman.

    Reply
  829. Heather on

    I loved reading the Babysitters Club and Choose Your Own Adventure series books. Nowadays I prefer reading historical fiction and gardening books, especially those by Floret! Lost & Found looks like an amazing book!

    Reply
  830. Melinda on

    Back in the ’50s, there used to be a collection of Golden Books, and my favorite was The Happy Family. There was a mother who baked fabulous pies and put them on the window sill to cool. Father went to work, and the two children played happily. Of course, there was a family dog and cat. Well, that has been over come by events now, but it is still a wonderful memory for me in that safe little spot in my heart.

    Reply
  831. Jill den Hertog on

    Horse stories and mysteries. When we moved out of the city I only stopped begging my Dad to get me a horse when he promised he would when he got himself a plane. As he talked about planes I though that was reasonable. It never happened so when I started working I bought myself a horse. Now I learned 1st hand that the wanting & having had no relation to the responsibility and commitment.
    Simply always loved flowers.

    Reply
  832. Sherry on

    While I grew up around the ocean I was a curious child that loved everything about it. So many National Geographic’s and many other books relating to it. I was a swimmer as well so jumping right into the ocean ( cold since we were on the northern part of CA) was my treat. I learn to respect the ocean and Mother Nature as well. Which kept me in nature most my life and growing my own vegetables, fruit trees, and trying now flowers has become my current love.

    Reply
  833. Mona Ko on

    The Giving Tree comes to mind. Until this question I hadn’t thought about it but it’s incredibly relevant in my daily life. Not in big ways, but I try to give back where I can, protect nature where I can, inspire growth where I can (both literally and figuratively), and take only what I need. I am new to growing flowers and it is so fun to see them pop out of the ground to blooming. I am currently trying to decide on a rain harvesting system. It’s a whole new wonderful world in flowers and gardening. Thank you Floret for your guidance.

    Reply
  834. Maggie Schwenk on

    My favorite books were the “choose your own adventure” books! I loved changing the ending based on my choices.

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  835. Rene on

    I still love ‘I Spy with my Little Eye’ types of books, especially when shared with my grandson!

    Reply
  836. Megan Bollinger on

    I was always drawn to women who were able to sustain themselves. Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House on the Prairie and Anne of Green Gables stand out as my biggest influences. Now I am working on my own homestead and often wonder what my childhood idols Laura and Anne would think of this modern homesteading lady.

    Reply
  837. Renee Zarate on

    Such a lovely conversation! I enjoyed envisioning their lifestyle and look forward to seeing their beautiful book.

    Reply
  838. Amber on

    I loved any beautiful book about the outdoors, such as The Little House on the Prairie books. I still love the outdoors and have hobbies like beekeeping and gardening so it must have influenced me that way. I’m also a photographer so seeing beauty in others work is always so inspiring! It sounds like I need this book!

    Reply
  839. Barbara Norris on

    Books are the such wonderful friends! As a child, I read lots of series collections, from Trixie Belden to the Bobbsie Twins, Little House on the Prairie and then Nancy Drew as I got a bit older. Books carried me away to other times and places, providing all sorts of adventures and insights. I’ve learned so much and met so many amazing characters within the pages of books. I rarely go anywhere without a book in hand.

    Reply
  840. Faith Gladstone on

    I loved “Thunder Cake” as a child. Where babushka bakes a cake with her granddaughter in the storm. It was so cozy, and a little bit intimidating. I always admired the hard work they went through, even for something as simple as a cake. Collecting all their ingredients by hand and around the farm, but racing against the storm. Which is something I can definitely relate to now! A farmers work is never done! And I remember loving the cultural experience the book gave. Now I am always seek to find different cultural and historic experiences. I knew this book was special to me, but as a child I didn’t realize, or have the language to express how inspiring it truly was.

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  841. EN on

    I loved books with funny stories and beautiful pictures like Madeline, Winnie the Pooh, and Animals Friends. I think it has helped me to remember to enjoy the little things, have fun with my kids, and find ways to bring beauty into my home.

    Reply
  842. Cynthia on

    As a child I loved the Beatrix Potter books. The illustrations were all little places I could imagine myself into – the gardens, the sweet houses, the lanes, and I loved all the animals and their personalities. Winnie the Pooh was also beloved.

    Reply
  843. Nancy Wynne on

    My favorite books growing up were the Little House on the Prairie series, hands-down! I was fascinated by the daily life of these pioneers. From making butter to growing vegetables, overcoming hardships and the importance of family. These books inspired my love of gardening and creating things from scratch.

    Reply
  844. Florence Holmes on

    I was a Beatrix Potter baby- we had all of her books. I am still a child I think- I love books about animals and magic. Later, as I grew, I enjoyed the Hardy Boys. My brothers had them all so they were available. I spent a lot of time with my horse at the barn and these books reflected my ‘rough and tumble’ life. Thank you for sharing this interview and the pictures! Lovely!

    Reply
  845. Katie on

    This is a beautiful interview with stunning photography! The perfect way to start my day with this post and a cup of coffee! I was shocked to find out at 13 that Great Expectations by Charles Dickens would become one of the most formative and enjoyable books of my childhood. To be immersed in such moody and extravagant detail that each page brought while being taught the principle of integrity and value of hope, that book has been a gift to my life! Thank you for giving us the opportunity to enjoy another new book! Praying for safety and speedy recovery from the damages of the storm.

    Reply
  846. Jessi W. on

    Boxcar Children, Nancy Drew, & the Babysitters Club. My favorite book of all time was one my favorite teacher read (who I was fortunate enough to have as a 4th grade & 6th grade teacher!) was called Summer at Buckhorn. Looking back, it makes me think that I loved groups of kids that went on adventures, got into trouble, and overcame their struggles – which is a lot like how the kids in my neighborhood and I were growing up. And now as an adult, I’m a pediatric therapist and help kids who are going through struggles of their own.

    Reply
  847. Cindi on

    When I was young I liked my Bible story books. I hope they helped me with my love of the Lord.
    When my children were young, I loved to buy my daughter the I Spy books, we had some much fun looking at those photos
    and finding the objects.

    Now, I love growing and photographing flowers too, I think it keeps me sane and being a gardener always give you something to look forward to.

    Enjoy your day.

    Reply
  848. Sheila Hlubucek on

    I had a passion for reading fashion magazines while I was growing up on the family farm in Montana. I would design and sew my own clothes with a dream of being a fashion designer. I went to college and got a “real” career, but I never lost my enthusiasm for creating beauty. Now in my 60s I finally have my creative life.

    Reply
  849. Barbara Smith on

    I had a wonderful “Mother Goose” book filled with fantastic drawings accompanying the rhymes – always a favorite.

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  850. Pat Kelley on

    I loved books that contained stories and illustrations of animals and nature. Beatrice Potter and the Peter Rabbit series was one of my favorites. I still love books that contain beautiful photos or illustrations of things found in nature! This is a beautiful work of art!!

    Reply
  851. Manda on

    Oh wow! That is a hard question for me as a lover of books since a very young age. If I had to pick just one type it would be romance. As a little girl, my parents would send me to stay with my grandparents every summer. My auntie and uncle owned a mechanics garage, R&N, at the time in a little town called Tehachapi. My summers were filled with watching Days of Our Lives on a tele with bunny ears, smells of grease and oil, and harlequin novels my auntie thought as age appropriate. Being I had a fairly tumultuous environment with my parents, I loved how every story contained hardships but as I approached the last pages – a happy ending was always to be found. This gave me hope as a young child that I would have a different story than my parents. To this day, I remain a hopeless romantic <3

    Reply
  852. Jessica on

    I loved fantasy books with great world building and they are still my favorite! I think these books led me to being an inquisitive adult with a strong sense of “doing the right thing”.

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  853. Kristen Smyth on

    I loved all sorts of books but I had one book called “The Bumper Book”which was an anthology of poems
    And stories and another book of AA Milne poems . My mother is a great memorizer of poetry and so I’d memorize these poems in the books and recite them to her (and anyone else who’d listen). I still remember some of them and I still call my mother when I need a poetry reference and she can rattle one off. And I still have those two books with very tattered covers. I think those books made me see that poetry doesn’t have to be grand. It’s about every day observation and often the simplicity of life.

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  854. Donna M Simms on

    My favorite book as a child was “The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.” It peaked my imagination and I truly believe my unstoppable sense of exploration stems from that book. The well worn book is displayed on a shelf in my office and still makes me smile every time I look at it. Mysteries are my choices as an adult. I just need to know the who, what and where of everything to understand it and move on.

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  855. Jess B on

    I loved mysteries and Nancy Drew in particular. I think reading those books with a strong female protagonist helped me to become the happy, independent woman I am today.
    This book looks absolutely beautiful; thank you for the opportunity to win a copy!

    Reply
  856. Liz H on

    I loved mystery books such as Trixie Belden and adventure/ fantasy books like The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. But secretly, I always liked (and still like) picture books. When I was little I thought I’d become too old for picture books and I was sad about that. As a grownup with littles I’ve decided you can never be too old picture books.

    Reply
  857. Steph Spiece on

    I got so lost in the Thoroughbred book series as a young reader because I had a wild passion for all things horses. That has never faded and I don’t think it ironic that I now own and operate a thriving horse farm filled with Thoroughbreds!

    Reply
  858. Brenda Kerton on

    I loved any kind of series books as I loved to get to know the characters and didn’t want to leave them behind. My earliest series book was the Little House on the Prairie books. 50 years later I now live in a log cabin in a field with a bison farm as neighbours! I knew it would be our retirement home the minute I saw it. The books shaped my view of history and self sufficiency. I now grow and preserve over 90% of our needed fruit and veg. And 2 years ago my daughter (who settled down the road with her kids) and me started a flower farm. Maybe I’ll retire when I’m 80!

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  859. Victoria on

    I loved so many books as a child- all of the Beatrix Potter books. I’ve always loved any stories with anthropomorphism, and her worlds were so enchanted and sweet, and I love the illustrations. Also the Frog and Toad books and the Wind in the Willows and Little Bear. I’m still so fond of all of these stories and my love for the natural world certainly stems from my imaginations of the secret worlds and lives of animals and gardens and forests.

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  860. PAMELA RICHARDSON on

    A neighbor had lent me a Nancy Drew Mystery and started me off. There were so many in the series and I loved the adventures and the way she would be so curious to solve a mystery. Then of Course there was Sherlock Holmes and the logic and way at looking at a situation with reason. So if anything I came to love books….and to read . I collect all sorts of books and certainly about gardening and flowers makes up quite a large part as I am always researching plants and everything about the needs of my garden. So I try to win one. and
    thanks always for being such an inspiring generous flower loving soul …

    Reply
  861. Megan on

    I loved reading the national geographic series on ocean animals. It led me into another world and I learned so much more was out there than my little town. As an adult I’m still thinking about our planet but now it’s how to make it a little bit prettier with flowers as well as what can I do to be kind to the planet that I always read about when I was little.

    Reply
  862. Joanne Lee Scouler on

    I read all of Beverly Cleary’s books as a kid and enjoyed the emotional realism and antics of Ramona the Pest. Now I read more scientific and humanistic books. A beautiful flower book like Lost and Found would help transport me to another region like New Zealand which I understand is incredible to visit.

    Reply
  863. Tina on

    I loved any book filled with goodness and beauty and read them over and over! As an adult I still have a passion for those things.

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  864. Cindy Grant on

    I loved the story of pippi longstocking and always wanted to be like her: cheerful and wild, creative and independent. Now I sometimes have to remember it, because in everyday life with five children it is easy to forget…

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  865. Taylor on

    Amongst my favorites ~ all of Beatrix Potter’s books. Her illustrations of charming creatures and cozy gardens helped shape me into the botanical watercolor artist and gardener I am today.

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  866. Ann Bailey on

    I will be honest, there were so many books my Mom read to me as a child. There were Dr. Seuss books, Little Golden Books, books about poems. What I remember most was sitting in my Mom’s lap. It was warm, safe, secure, full of love and magical moments of whimsical thoughts with each book. I was the fifth of sixth children and still felt like I was so special because she made the time to read with me. Most importantly I felt like I was the only person wrapped in the arms of a loving Mother who blessed my life with a love of reading, singing, planting flowers even in the smallest of places, gardening and a love of God and all things beautiful.

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  867. Suzzelle Smith on

    First, hearts out to the people of New Zealand…too much suffering in the world. Your book is a ray of sunshine! Flowers have a magical way of changing our focus to try and see the positive things in life. While it is always hard to choose a favorite book, “The Reason for a Flower” by Ruth Heller may be one of my earliest childhood favorites.

    Reply
  868. Megan on

    Gorgeous work! 😍

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  869. Felicity Kirby on

    I grew up with few resources, our trips to the library were a weekly highlight. We were always reading the Newberry award winners. The book Island of the blue dolphins was one of my first grown up book, I loved the idea of nature, independence and survival. We would also read magazines passed to us by a neighbor. My favorite wish book was The Blue Book, a window into luxury living..

    Reply
  870. Anna-Marie on

    Books and reading have always been central to my life. As a kid, my mom would let me choose piles of books from the scholastic order forms sent home from school. She also subscribed me to a Nancy Drew book club. One by one, the books arrived in our mailbox and I loved every one of them. I still love mysteries, both books and TV series (but also a multitude of other genres). My childhood pre-dates seek-and-find books, but I have spent many, many hours poring over them – reading the clues and discovering the evidence – with my kids, my grandkids, and many other kids. 📚💜💐

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  871. Marcia Krauza-Martin on

    I loved the Bobbsey Twins series (showing my age!). Children who solved “mysteries”, not crimes. They were allowed so much freedom and independence, and that appealed to me as a child.
    Zoe’s book is gorgeous and makes me nostalgic for the I Spy books my children loved.

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  872. Monica on

    Loved Nancy Drew! I love finding the originals ones in thrift stores and even at the book stores still. Will always love a good mystery.

    Reply
  873. Sabina Missana on

    The books I was most enthralled with were Winnie-the-Pooh, King Arthur, and the Grimm’s Fairytales. My mother had this fabulous early 1900’s set of leather-books that she read so many great stories and poetry from and I still have them in my collection today, the artwork is stunning. I see the pattern – fantasy, mysterious woods and characters. I still love to get lost in my books. I have also loved reading biographies or autobiographies about people I find interesting or inspiring. That’s why I love reading Erin’s stories about growers all over the world! They are so inspiring! In contrast to my deep dark mysterious woods my gardens are anything but – just the view across from the house is woods, but we’re full sun here! I have a huge vegetable garden, lovingly companion planted with all kinds of edible pollinators, herbs, annual flowers and perennials. It provides us with nearly year-round produce and cut flowers spring to fall.

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  874. Anna on

    Growing up I read anything I could get my hands on. I think I most enjoyed the Choose Your Own Adventure books. I loved being able to re-read each story and have a few different endings.

    Reply
  875. Alex on

    As a reluctant young reader, I remember the first series that I enjoyed reading on my own was Molly from the American Girl collection. My daughter is a voracious reader, so it was fun to introduce her to the historical characters and watch her love of reading bloom.

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  876. Rebecca Rubin on

    For reasons unknown, other than wanting to be scared to death, I devoured all of Edgar Allan Poe’s books. I moved on to Little Women and Little Men, while admiring the gorgeous lily of the valley flowers planted by my favorite aunt on one long side of her house. That led to planting my first seeds (nasturtiums), progressing to tall garden phlox, coneflowers, lilies and dahlias. Reading leads to a world of exploration!

    Reply
  877. Sue W on

    My go-to books for reading, then and now, have always been science fiction! I have re-read The Illustrated Man so many times over the years, that my copy is being held together with rubber bands. But now that I am getting older and more into gardening as a hobby, I cannot get enough picture books of anything floral! And that includes catalogs!!!

    Reply
  878. ROXY ROEHRIG on

    It’s rather laughable now as an avid flower gardener, but my favorite genre of books growing up were mysteries, lol. The only connection I can see with what I’ve been doing for 40 plus years is that if a plant shows a sign of a problem, I ‘solve the mystery’ by following the clues and investigate through much research. 🥰

    Reply
  879. Sarah Shetler on

    As I child getting read stories from the Bible by my parents before my bedtime. This has changed me the most. The story about Queen Esther has been my favorite.

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  880. Nancy Seeburger on

    As a child I did not have books. For 40 years I made up for it reading countless books to six year olds as a teacher. My favorite was The Keeping Quilt by Patricia Pollaco. . It was filled with so much love of family and the importance of cherishing memories. All of her books are outstanding.

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  881. Christine Hansen on

    I loved the Little Train that Could. The story of this little train that could never make it up the mountain and had to keep trying, keep believing, keep going despite every odd to finally achieve all it dreamed of doing and being. It was a charming book that has been a metaphor for life that stayed with me forever. I can be a successful flower farmer… season 2, here I come trying again! I think I can, I think I can, I KNOW I CAN! 💗 🏔️ 🚂

    Reply
  882. Julie Cannon on

    I’d get so lost in book series for girls like Sweet Valley High but also enjoyed non-fiction books and learning about things that are “real.” I think reading in general as a young person really solidified my love of reading today and I try to pass that on to my own children by building a library of different types/genres of books for them and reading aloud to them daily.

    Reply
  883. Ruth Leikert on

    I had a reading disability so as a kid, I loved seek and find books because I didn’t have to read any words. We had a “time periods” seek and find book that absolutely loved. There were silly little characters that I thought were so fun to find, and I didn’t feel so different sitting with my brothers when I had books that I could “read” on my own. I also loved listening to my mom read American Girl books to me. My favorite was Addy.

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  884. Sandy on

    I absolutely loved Ella Enchanted. Looking back, I wonder if this is the reason I cannot lie and in some cases can be brutally honest. Influenced with dozens of fictional princesses growing up, Ella was the most relatable as she was always fighting her inner most desires to please everyone around her.
    As an adult, I’m breaking free from the “golden child complex” and finding what my heart truly desires. Whether it’s getting a tattoo, coloring my hair or playing around in the dirt with my lovely planties!

    Reply
  885. Rachel Evans on

    Zoe, your work is amazing! I too, loved the Eye Spy books and Where’s Waldo as a child. They are some of the first books I bought for my daughter. However, my absolute favorite “books” as a child, were Better Homes and Garden magazines. I would look at the amazing flower gardens and dream of creating my own cottage garden some day. I love the wild beauty and romance of a great flower garden, but have struggled to create my own. My garden has been very focused on food production, and there is very little romance in it. I grow a few flowers, but they seem to be an afterthought, not a statement. You have inspired me to work toward creating a garden that would captivate my child self.

    Reply
  886. Johanna Humbert on

    I loved the Richard Scarry “Best [fill in the blank] Book Ever” books. Kind of like Zoe’s arrangements, I could spend hours searching through the photos for tiny details.

    Reply
  887. Suzanne on

    I remember my Granddaddy reading to me from The Bumper Book. I loved looking at the colorful illustrations while he read the stories. I still have this book and smile to think back to the time I couldn’t read by myself but loved being read to.

    Reply
  888. Shelley on

    Any book that allowed me to escape into a different world where family was enjoyable.
    When my children were young we loved reading “love you forever” – it still brings tears to my eyes

    Reply
  889. Christine on

    I always liked biographies not only about people that did great and world changing things, but also about little farm girls that grew up with the most simple of lives. I think it helped me to appreciate the simple in life and I’m very grateful for that now as an adult! I also enjoyed I spy and probably my favorite book set of all growing up was the Little House on the Prairie books by Laura Ingalls.

    Reply
  890. Ashley Fullerton on

    Growing up on Cape Cod I spent many summer afternoons reading Nancy Drew in the heat of my bedroom waiting for my little brothers nap to end. No cell phones, just me and Nancy figuring out the next mystery.

    Reply
  891. Sarah Thurman on

    I spent the entire summer of 5th grade immersed in Nancy Drew books. I was in awe of her strawberry blonde hair and relentless confidence.

    Reply
  892. Diane Smothers on

    There were so many beloved books when I wss s child. I loved Charlotte’s Web, finding true friendship and acceptance with beings who are very different from you. I also loved Little House on the Prairie…I loved the strength of the family and how accepting, kind and generous they were to everyone. The scenic narrative always caught my attention and since I’m lucky enough to have grown up in the midwest, helped to instill in me a real love of nature, gardening, and wildlife.

    Reply
  893. Ashley Laabs on

    As a child I quickly devoured all the young adult chapter books I could get my hands on. I even won an award in middle school for most books read. Now I enjoy nonfiction more, but this book would be a divine addition to my collection!

    Reply
  894. Marci Imes on

    I was a Nancy Drew series reader, and having the set next to my bed made for easy access at bedtime. The feeling of accomplishment as I read each volume was one of the first I remember.

    Reply
  895. Juliana on

    Unfortunately, I was not much of a reader as a child but grew up to love books -especially children’s books! I read so many to my children as they grew. My favorite author/illustrator is Patricia Polacco. Her storytelling stems from her own life and the real life characters in her family and friends make these books so endearing. Her illustrations are colorful and full of movement to go along with her stories. Two of my favorite are THE BEE TREE and JUNKYARD WONDERS.

    Reply
  896. Angela Sampson on

    Chicken soup with rice book along with it being sung by Carole King. I have never forgotten it and all my kids and grandkids have copies! So fun!

    Reply
  897. Hillary on

    My favorite book from my childhood was called “The Little Kitten”. My mom saved it and I was able to share it with my daughter when she was small. Love shared is magical.

    Reply
  898. Jill on

    As a very little cold, I loved Hop On Pop by Dr Seuss. That book was very worn by time I was old enough to read other books.

    Reply
  899. Catherine King on

    I read a lot as a kid and was always happy when a book was part of a series: The Chronicles of Narnia; the Swallows and Amazons series; Lad, a Dog and all the other books about Lad; the Mother West Wind Series. Thanks for reminding me of all those magical hours – and I was able to return to them while reading to my kids!

    Reply
  900. Lori Pilat on

    Sadly I didn’t read much as a child but as an adult my favorite book to read is the Bible 🙏🏻❤️

    Reply
  901. Jane Theunissen on

    I love and have always loved books filled with drawings and paintings of fairies and imaginary creatures and plants, with poetry and stories. I grew up on a very remote farm in South Africa, and my imagination allowed to be whoever or whatever I wanted to be. My parents gave me books for every birthday and at Christmas. and these beautiful stories still remind me to step lightly in wild places lest I disturb the otherworldly creatures who helped me become me.

    Reply
  902. Shelley Haefner on

    I loved a book called “Oh say can you seed!” By Dr Suess. What fun it was to not only keep my attention but the amount I learned reading it over and over was invaluable. It just made reading fun while planting biggest of info with every read. I’ve read this with my own kids many times!

    Reply
  903. Marisa on

    I adored Eloise, The Little Bear series, and Tasha Tudor books. All filled with inquisitive creatures and delightful illustrations.

    Reply
  904. HJ Thomas Jr on

    The Hardy Boys — series by Franklin Dixon Third or Fourth grade teacher read some every day, and thrilled the class ending just before the chapters would complete giving the clues to the mystery…..still remember hearing them in class, and then reading at home. Today I still look for the mysteries of each day to be solved on the next page of living!

    Reply
  905. Sarah Balsley on

    As a child I adored Come for a Walk With Me, an enchanting book about a little girl who is sent to borrow a cup of sugar from the neighbor next door. Instead of going directly, she stops and invites her rabbit friend, and they take the long way, through a meadow, past a pond and into some woods, enjoying the beauty and each other, and picking a bouquet along the way.

    Reply
  906. AG on

    I loved the choose your own adventure books, where the ending changes depending on your choices. I loved paging through the World Book encyclopedia tomes. You always could find something interesting there or that you were not “allowed ” to read. This book appears to be magical. Love flowers and thank you Floret for sharing .

    Reply
  907. Lindsey on

    I loved the Anne of Green Gables series as a child-it helped me appreciate the small beautiful things in life and see life as an adventure.

    Reply
  908. Tonya Mannes on

    I loved a book that was an about Jesus. The last page was a picture of children sitting with him in a beautiful garden. I remember just looking at this same page over and over. Thank you for this wonderful interview. The book looks absolutely gorgeous.

    Reply
  909. Lynne on

    No question.
    Charlotte’s Web. The whole class cried at the end of the book ( including my teacher, Mrs Meyers. )
    The book taught us about love, friendship and acceptance.
    Charlotte was a creative inspirer!
    The very first thing I purchased when I found out I was pregnant with our first child, 40 years ago.

    Reply
  910. Jana Burgoyne on

    Any book that created a little world, like The Little Fur Family by Margaret Wise Brown. I was always drawn to magical illustrations. I suppose it did influence me as I look at it now with my children and creating little natural worlds with flowers now!

    Reply
  911. Fran Tuite on

    Both my parents were botanists and I grew up growing flowers and veggies 🌻🥀🌸🌽🥕🍅. Rudabeckia, nasturtium, zinnias, roses, peonies were always present.. we were also book readers and TV was limited in our house.. I was drawn to nancy drew, pippi long stocking, bread and jam for frances amongst many more..
    I now own a small farm and just getting started growing flowers again..

    Reply
  912. Loes van Pelt on

    I read everything I could get my hands on, our local library just wasn’t big enough:).
    Although nowadays I have less time to read as much as I would like, I have gained the ability to seek peace and wellbeing in my imagination no matter where I am. I believe I owe that to the books I’ve read, their writers and the simple fact of reading itself.

    Reply
  913. Cathy McCall on

    Whimsy was a retreat for me as a wee girl. I loved cats and nature, so I would conjure up escapades for “Nina” my Russian Grey to go around sorting things and issues even if it was in space. Hence, my first rough draft, never published venture for Nina in a space ship. She encountered others and their problems in order to save the day. She mostly loved wandering around amongst the flowers and trees where she was truly inspired. You brought back lovely moments of memory through your own inspiration. Thank you for that. And, thank you Erin for the introduction.

    Reply
  914. Jessica on

    I can’t recall having a favorite type of book. We had the famous “Book It” program so I would read as many books as I could get from the library. I remember reading a lot of Babysitters Club. They were a fast and easy way to earn stickers for the program. As an adult I know that reading all of those books increased my literacy skills. I’m a big fan of reading now.

    Reply
  915. Jessica on

    My favorite books (and movies) were those centered around a house. Preferably an old one… where attics held treasures and secret doors and nooks abounded. Houses full of secrets and warmth. So today I live in an old Victorian that we’ve been fixing up for over ten years. While there weren’t any treasures or secret passages to be found when we moved in, I’m hoping my kids look back and find it was a magical place to grow up :)

    Reply
  916. Leslie F on

    The Secret Garden, Harriet the Spy, & The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. The theme is secrets, hidden places, special spots that only certain people knew about. I had my own spy book. I would look for fairies in the woods behind my house. Or hope to come across a squirrel that could talk. I’m working to create a secret garden feel in my tiny back yard right now. And still hope a fairy will make her home here. Books that foster a creative imagination are so important!

    Reply
  917. Lois on

    I loved a book called Over and Over which was a little girls learning about the seasons. Also , loved I spy books with my daughter which makes this offering fun.

    Reply
  918. Bethany Rutledge on

    One of my favorite childhood books was Anne of Green Gables. Reading the author’s description of the natural landscape (including flowers! Blossoming trees! Beautiful woods!) around her young heroine enchanted me and helped me articulate what I had long experienced about nature — a source of solace, interest, and undying wonder. Now that I’ve begun a habit of nature journaling and watercolor I often think back to those formative days of reading those beloved novels.

    Reply
  919. Taylor Burchell on

    I loved the little house on the prairie series when I was a little girl. I even had my grandma help me sew my doll and me matching outfits to look the ingalls wilder sisters. I loved any and all books as a child. I also loved to look at bird identification books because my great grandfather handed some down to me. He and my grandmother were so proud of the bird feeders out of their front window.

    Reply
  920. Amy Kaufman on

    I loved all of the Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder – being a pioneer, the constant need for invention in order to survive nature, both its beauty and its battles.

    Reply
  921. Barbara on

    I loved the little house on the prairie series. I still love them.

    Reply
  922. Shannon Cornelius on

    Hands down my favorite books as a child…and reread as an adult were the Anne of Green Gables series. Whenever I see rows of Cherry trees with their fluttering petals I’m reminded of her White Way of Delight and my imagination is off and running…

    Reply
  923. Anne Baetzel on

    I loved choose your own adventure books growing up!! What a gorgeous book 💖

    Reply
  924. Sunny on

    As a city kid, I loved books about big families who lived on a farm, or in a small friendly village, with cats, dogs and big gardens that sustained their simple lifestyle, Now I’m channeling that city kid’s desires in a big country garden of my own.

    Reply
  925. Carolynn plowden on

    In third grade a teachers aid read us THE SECRET GARDEN after recess while we rested our heads on the desk. I fell in love with secret spaces and recovering lost beauty, digging in the soil and growing beautiful flowers.

    Reply
  926. Carolina Santos on

    My early years of first reading was my parents daily newspapers and I love looking through the pages and pages of words that I could not read yet then… Pretending to be able to read them with pictures of flowers or animals on the side or top of it is a splendid delight of moments with my parents….

    Reply
  927. Heather on

    Beautiful blog post! As a child, I was fascinated with Anne Frank. I read that book over and over! Maybe it was because father was born in the Netherlands or maybe because when I stared reading her book, we were similar in age. Her life in that attic fascinated me. She had so much perseverance throughout her short life. Perseverance is important with gardening too!

    Reply
  928. susy deane on

    thank you for this
    i am headed to nz tomorrow
    my youngest is an environmental planner,vermont grown,nz educated, near wairoa-one of hardest hit towns in hawkes bay
    she inherited my passion for gardening and has dahlias from seed and loves roses and zinnias and cosmos and …..
    her place is high up,so safe,but still heaps of work in garden and orchard and town
    i will buy this book at the wairoa shop,definitely
    a bright light for a muddy challenge

    Reply
  929. Cynthia A. Montanaro on

    Anything that combined a great story with beautiful illustrations charmed me. Then I got to repeat it all again when homeschooling my boys. I think the second delight was the best!

    Reply
  930. Karen Bevel on

    I grew up in church in the 1950’s being born in 1947. Wild flowers were everywhere in all colors, shapes, and sizes. I loved to pick them, arrange, and give them to elderly people. The Bible has been my first and still is my go to book. How our God created so many different plants and flowers still amazes me. He gave us all plants to sustain our bodies and beautify our lives. I cannot bend over any more but sprinkle flower seeds then pray whatever God wants to grow, it grows. In our bloom time in southern Illinois I make little bouquets, take them to church on Sunday mornings and give them away to brighten the days of others. God bless you as you bring the beauty of flowers and photography into the lives of others.

    Reply
  931. Amy on

    I loved the Babysitter’Club and anything by Judy Blume. Plus anything by Martha Stewart which definitely influenced my love of flowers today.

    Reply
  932. Amy on

    As a child I loved mysteries with a bit of magic— especially those by Ruth Chew. I still remember them. I grew up to be a lover of magic realism in adult fiction, so I’ve stayed true to form!

    Reply
  933. Debbie Rogers on

    As a child I got stars for reading books at school and that motivated me to read the most books in my class.

    I loved books about the outdoors, animals, and how the human body worked.

    At night, my Dad would pull out an encyclopedia and open it to a random place and I would read to him.

    Reply
  934. Erica on

    Horses, horses, horses. Roald Dahl was and is always so good. Choose your own adventure books were always so fun. I’m still a horse nerd and love to share the books with my kids.

    Reply
  935. Bobbi Jeselskis on

    As a small child I loved the Berenstein Bear books. I always dreamed about living in a treehouse and having endless areas to explore and ride my bike. I still own a large collection of those books today, and I have passed the love on to my daughter who is now 11.

    Reply
  936. Betsy on

    This was a fantastic interview. Thank you ladies! Very informative. I definitely agree with Zoë, I loved seek and find books as a child as well. Personally I think by reading these books patience and solution finding skills are acquired. Will keep NZ, Zoë’s family and farm in our prayers. 🤍

    Reply
  937. Susan on

    As a child I loved any book I could “play school” with all my Dollies acting as students, the more colorful the better.

    Reply
  938. Nuria Martinez on

    El libro Platero y yo escrito por Juan Ramón Jiménez.
    Una delicia para cualquier edad.

    Reply
  939. Kelly Beach on

    I had a strange affinity for Pippi Longstocking. Today, I am a bit silly when around those I am close to, and I certainly walk to the beat of my own drum. My passions are not mainstream, but I will not hesitate to geek out in monologue when asked.

    Reply
  940. Priscilla K on

    I literally wolfed down whatever book I could when I was a kid. I read cereal boxes, newspapers; whatever hit my eyes, I was reading. But I loved and still love Harry Potter, The Chronicles of Narnia (currently reading to my kids), and the Melendys.

    Reply
  941. Erna Froneman on

    My favorite books were Enid Blytons’ The Magic Faraway Tree and the Enchanted Wood.
    As I garden, I still imagine that ‘magic’ and fairies and gnombes hiding everywhere.
    I used to get so carried away when I was little and many a time my mother would ask, who am I talking to, while i was playing in our garden.
    To this day – I am sure this is where my love for gardening and flowers where ‘born’

    Reply
  942. Karen on

    The Ugly Duckling, by Hans Christian Andersen, made such an impression on me as a young child. Filled with shock and then compassion for the duckling, this has influenced my life in many ways. My Mother, a nurse, read it to me and she taught me by her own example how to be caring, courageous and passionate about all living beings and appreciate the beauty and good in all!

    Reply
  943. Rachel on

    I think some of my most formative book experiences were the Wrinkle in Time series by Madeleine L’Engle. To have a girl identified protagonist who didn’t fit in and learned to both feel entitled to and manage her anger at the wrongs of the world was very impactful. As much as the adventures she went on! Thank you both for bringing such beauty to the world!

    Reply
  944. Sarah on

    Funny thing is that I really didn’t like reading as a child, I couldn’t sit still and would rather be outside immersed in imaginative play creating Daisy and dandelion flower chains 😂. If there were a picture book that captured me, I’d say anything about Christopher Robin and Pooh. Always on an adventure…outside which resonated deeply. My Daisy chains evolved into gardening and later, a bit more complex floral design.

    Reply
  945. Catherine on

    Little House on the Prairie books. They inspired me to become a farmer and want to live off the land.

    Reply
  946. Jackie Mier on

    I am dating myself, but I read Nancy Drew series growing up. The idea of being a young inquisitive woman always appealed to me and I must say persists today. But, when my daughter was young, we loved the “Where is Waldo” series, that is a great seek and find book for young children. I would love a copy of Zoe’s book. Interestingly, Zoe is a family name, my grandmother Zoe from Belgium, my sister Zoe, my niece Zoey….and my husband’s nieces name is Zoe. Always attracted to anybody named Zoe.

    Reply
  947. Brooke Jewell on

    As a child I adored all of Beatrix Potter’s children books. The illustration brought me to a world where animals wore smocks & tailcoats & spoke & I loved every bit of them. (Her foxgloves began my own love for them too).

    Reply
  948. Christine Rubino on

    I loved so many books, but two of my childhood favorites were “Black Beauty” and “Charlotte’s Web”. I enjoyed sharing them both with my daughters when they were young as well. Both books show the importance of caring, loving, friendship and supporting the ones you love. Life lessons!

    Reply
  949. Kimberly Fishback on

    My favorite book when I was growing up was Miss Rumphius It was a story about a little girl that grew up wanting to travel the world. Her grandfather lived by the sea. He told her to travel everywhere her heart desired, but then she had to promise to come back home and do something to make the world a better place. She remembered her promise and when she became sick, she would have to go to the Dr and hospital many times. She noticed the rolling hills and had the greatest idea. She planted purple Lupine seeds across the hills with the help of her friends and family…. And they covered all the hills every spring, for everybody to enjoy. When I taught kindergarten Our whole school planted Lupine seeds and we all looked forward to seeing them bloom each spring. Every child in every grade planted one seed. I still remember the breathtaking joy we all felt.
    Thank you for the chance to share this book and this memory! I highly recommend this book and maybe a packet of Lupine seeds to plant and share with others. Kim Fishback

    Reply
  950. Katie Woodruff on

    My mom’s old biology textbooks, it opened my mind to wonder. Also Harry Potter, made me obsessed with reading fiction.

    Reply
  951. Leslie B. on

    I have recently become a fan of multi-colored roses like “Ziggy,” featured in your interview. Some are wild, almost gaudy! A friend has decided that the gaudy ones are the most fun. I love that sentiment.

    Reply
  952. Alisha Robson on

    I didn’t have a love of reading as a child, but as an adult, I have discovered reading for pleasure and just hate that I missed out on so many books in my childhood. Having said that, I love historical fiction. I love that authors take real events and craft a story around them. Historical fiction has broadened my perspective of the world and causes me to have an appreciation for how far we have come in matters of social justice and equal rights.

    Reply
  953. Nicole on

    Such a beautiful book!
    I loved any story about fairies as a child, and this has continued to influence my creative practice, as I love to add a little whimsy to all my paintings and drawings!

    Reply
  954. Natalie on

    I loved reading fiction, which fueled my imagination. One favorite (that I actually read with my mom) was The Secret Garden, which also inspire a life long love of gardening.

    Reply
  955. Steffi Kellam on

    I have always loved reading, and as a child I devoured all kinds of books. Some of my favorites were mysteries, especially the Nancy Drew detective series. I suppose my interest in discovering clues and figuring out “who did it” carried through to my life as an adult because I eventually became a “medical detective,” an epidemiologist!

    Reply
  956. Aubry on

    As a child I always adored finding the most beautifully illustrated books, especially the ones with bright colors and detailed nature scenes. I’d stare at the pictures long before I could read the words and it felt as if I were in the story. It taught me to take in a picture and take snapshots in my mind to memorize beautiful scenery. As an adult I have created quite a library of illustrated picture books and photography collections for my children as I still believe a picture is worth a thousand words, maybe even more.

    Reply
  957. Bronwen Heinrich on

    The Secret Garden…was my favourite book…enchanting and healing gardens.

    Reply
  958. Susan Aufrichtig on

    As a child I read repeatedly through the Black Stallion series of books, by Walter Farley, imagining myself galloping on the back of a powerful and beautiful racehorse. Now, as an adult, I have adopted my own ex-racehorse and am greatly enjoying our evolving partnership. I love books and reading so much that I became a librarian and have been for 20+ years. I also love gardening and photography and am excited to photograph our emerging spring daffodils. It’s been a long winter here in NY, USA. Thanks for putting beauty into the world!

    Reply
  959. Catherine on

    I loved everything by Roald Dahl and read them voraciously! I think it just gave me a lifetime love of reading 😍 Thankyou for sharing Zoë’s book, it looks beautiful

    Reply
  960. Katy Banks on

    As a child who grew up to be an English major I loved all books and a trip to the library was a thrill! I didn’t realize it at the time, but I loved books with strong female protagonists; Nancy Drew, Anne of Green Gables, The Boxcar Children. I am a rose grower and can’t wait to read this book!🌹

    Reply
  961. Wendy on

    As a child I LOVED books that were set away from cities. Although NYC was an incredible place to grow up, I longed for wider more open spaces and devoured books that took me far away from tall buildings and endless slabs of pavement. Books set in farms were especially a favorite. As an adult, I was lucky enough to find and purchase a sweet, quaint early 1900’s farmhouse and it’s my little girl dreams come true.

    Reply
  962. Rebecca de Waart on

    My favorite books were the Nancy Drew mysteries- that inspired a love of figuring out problems, and looking for solutions! (And also a love of watching television mysteries!) I also really liked the Little House on the Prairie series, as I live in the same area Laura Ingalls did. I often think about living off of the land as they did, and it definitely has inspired my gardening, preserving, etc.

    Reply
  963. Susan on

    Erin, I love your book recommendations!

    Reply
  964. Deb on

    I loved Nancy Drew and anything about horses. I still love to read and usually finish my day with a good book.

    Reply
  965. Kathleen on

    I loved books about magic and other worlds, like the Narnia series. They allowed me to escape a not-so-magical reality, and let my imagination roam free. As an adult, my garden is that little piece of magic for me. I love to sit quietly in the center of it all, and commune with nature.

    Reply
  966. channing on

    I was obsessed with Tolkien. I still am. I love his world building as an escape from the stress of daily life.

    Reply
  967. Sarah on

    As a child I always loved the seek and find books too, still do. I have always been a very visual person and also have a great love of flowers and photography.

    Reply
  968. Marsha Martin on

    As a child I enjoyed the Cherry Ames books. She was a nurse and I enjoyed how she cared for patients/ families and the various roles she was involved in. Her interaction with staff was always positive. Might not be true in the real world, but at a young age I wouldn’t know that Maybe that’s why I became a nurse myself. In addition our daughter is a nurse. Because of Cherry Ames, not likely, because of me. I hope so.

    Reply
  969. Cathy on

    I fell in love with the book The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. I loved the idea of a secret place neglected at first which comes alive with some care and attention. The Secret Garden transformed each character with the healing only a garden can bring. They feel free to laugh, pretend, and get stronger. I still have the copy my Mother gave me which was printed in 1938. It brings a smile to my face when I see it’s worn cover and revisit the story with my daughter (now grown) and granddaughters . As I step out in my small secret garden in the Pacific North West, I find joy, peace and renewal. I want to be in the midst of the smells, colors and yes the challenges only a garden can bring.
    Your book is gorgeous. What a wonderful labor of love. Thank you for sharing.

    Reply
  970. Emily on

    When I was a child I loved stories. Stories of people near and far, fictional and real. The characters in these stories informed the kind of things I could do with my life. The places I could explore. The people I might meet. The experiences I could potentially have. And perhaps most importantly, the resilience human beings are capable of in the face of adversity.

    Ultimately the tales of a self-sufficient simple life must have grabbed me. I live in a small mountain town farming flowers. I just spent the last year of my life fighting cancer and while medicine saved my life, a realized dream to farm flowers saved my spirit. Thank you floret for finding me on the internet all those years ago. I enrolled in your first year of the online course and haven’t looked back.

    Absolutely adore this flower farm and New Zealand ❤️ Can’t wait to check out this book!

    Reply
  971. Victoria on

    I loved reading about people’s lives and learning from them as a child. So any biography I could read I would and today I feel like that helped me keep an open mind and heart for everyone. And also realize I am never too old to try something new!! Like growing a garden!

    Reply
  972. Lea Hebert on

    I loved the Wrinkle in Time series by Madeleine L’Engle, those books felt like such an escape when I needed it and really shaped the way I approach the magic of life and spirituality.

    Reply
  973. Korah boehme on

    As a child, I enjoyed reading books on states other than mine and countries. I realized this a big world! To this day, it has helped me understand people’s customs better.

    Reply
  974. Monika on

    I loved the babysitters club series! I’ve always been a caretaker and now I’m a teacher who takes care of other people’s children all day ;)
    Plus, I’m learning to tend my flower garden at home!

    Reply
  975. Wendi DuBois on

    I’ve read voraciously all my life, but as a child, I was captivated by Frances Hodgson Burnett’s The Secret Garden. I read the book many, many times. Perhaps the idea of finding and nurturing treasures back to their full glorious beauty stuck with me. I’ve lived my life as an artist, but I’ve slowly wandered back to flowers as a means of expression. I cannot wait to read Zoë’s book. Many thanks to those of you who share the beauty of flowers with so many.

    Reply
  976. Melanie on

    Growing up I was reading all the time. My favorites were historical fiction and the mix of fact and story helped shape me into the teacher I am today. While facts are great and necessary, helping connect them to the lives of my sixth grade students is a must.

    Reply
  977. Lori Merrill on

    When I was young I read every Laura Ingalls Wilder book sometimes several times. They were a loving family and always were taught to approach things with kindness and loved their prairie living…I long to live somewhere with rolling hills and land…and taught my children to always be kind!

    Reply
  978. Marie Hélène on

    I pretty much loved all kinds of books (and it shows in my library) but I enjoyed the ones where your choices would make the story! And now I have a pretty collection of all things nature from board books to atlas and your books! All beautiful ..

    Reply
  979. Julie on

    As a child we had a set of encyclopedias (I’ve just dated myself), I loved paging them to find obscure facts. It sounds like a strange thing now that we have the Internet and cable TV to entertain today. As an adult, I still enjoy researching and studying my interests, but now I use different tools.

    Reply

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