Planting Seeds

Louisiana Herb Journal

By  Corrine Martin

Herbalist Corrine Martin takes daily walks, along the trails at Bayou Black, on the Mississippi levee, around her home holding her daughter’s hand. In this reference book, she invites the reader to join her and her dog Bodi—combining her herbalist missions with meditations on Louisiana’s rich, tangled ecosystems; on healing; and the folk traditions practiced in this region for generations. It’s lush and dreamy, a stunning read for the herbalist as well as the herb-curious–but it’s also deeply informative and practical. The book is organized around fifty herbs found in Louisiana, giving their names (common and scientific), how to identify them, their habitats, healing properties (as well as any potential risks of consuming them), how they were traditionally used and how the area’s wildlife uses them. Simple recipes and directions invite the reader to harvest, to dry, to crush, to sip. If you’ve been looking for ways to reconnect with your environment, Martin offers a gentle and lovely guide to take part in the centuries-long traditions practiced in Louisiana’s wilds (and not-so-wilds, you can find many of these herbs in urban settings, too). Find it at lsupress.org.

Early Camellias in Louisiana, 1825–1860: Long Lost Treasures Rediscovered

By F. Wayne Stromeyer and Trenton L. James

Billed as a “guide for the rediscovery” of the hallowed winter bloom, Early Camellias in Louisiana is a rare effort of research and adoration, spurred by a desire to find Louisiana’s oldest varieties. Going far beyond the recent vintages found in most gardens today, Stromeyer and James—both Baton Rouge physicians who have dedicated themselves to rehabilitating camellia gardens on their historic properties—turned to archival letters, advertisements, and catalogs to rediscover lost camellias from the years 1825–1860. Illuminated by photography and illustrations, the reader can jump into the floral rabbit hole with them—learning more about how different varieties of camellias develop and evolve over time, and experiencing the joy of discovery as the writers attempt to propagate rare specimens. Find it at octaviabooks.com.

Southern Gardening  All Year Long

By Gary R. Bachman

From the recently-retired host of Mississippi State University Extension Services Southern Gardening television and radio show Gary R. Bachman—Southern Gardening All Year Long brings the sometimes-overwhelming intricacies of Southern Gardening down to earth in Bachman’s signaturely generous, practical style. A compilation of Bachman’s newspaper columns over the past decade, the book serves as an encouraging month-to-month guide to tending to your garden—inspired by Bachman’s tireless and joyful activities in his own Heritage Cottage Urban Nano Farm in Ocean Springs. The book comes out this month, so when you get your copy you’ll want to flip straight to the March section, where Bachman waxes romantic on the brilliant colors the summer will award you with if you plant your Vista Bubblegum or Pretty Much Picasso Supertunias now. Find it at upress.state.ms.