Monday, November 5, 2007

Yes. Nesting. But For Whom?

My garden book shopping, as of late, has taken a bit of turn. With a baby due in February, I am very distracted by the allure of children's gardens. And the antique prints from children's books - that seem to have bubbled up from the minds of some very child-like adults lost in small scale garden reveries. Just the way I like it.

We have no crib. No blankets. No nuthin'. But I have books, book lists and pinings for these prints. All of which is, well, mildly ridiculous. But, typical.

Two artists have my attention. And, if I'm not careful, their work will claim my paycheck. Margaret Tarrant (photo above) and Cicely Mary Barker (photos below). Margaret Tarrant's work is published in gorgeous, albeit, expensive (out-of-print) books about woodland and garden nymphs, imps and fairies. Cicely Mary Barker created a luscious alphabet series - focused around flowers.

I think about the woods around our house and how enchanting they will be for a tiny explorer with a big imagination. I can't wait to see what our little one shows me, calling my attention to what I have been missing (or walking over) for years.

And as far as the books and the prints go, I just have one concern as a future parent. Will I be grown-up enough to . . . share?



4 comments:

Rebecca said...

Oh, Cicely Mary Barker's Flower Fairies were my absolute *favorites* when I was small.

Anonymous said...

My daughter adores Barker's flower fairies.

Steph said...

They are lovely.
How will you choose?!

Anonymous said...

Some of my best grown-up fun in years has been gardening with my two year old. You will enjoy it beyond anything you can imagine! I have some great photos of her picking and eating tomatoes naked!