Summer book reviews

THE COUNTRY DIARY OF AN EDWARDIAN LADY
If ever a book made you want to go for a walk in the woods, this is it. Just back in print, The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady (Friedman/Fairfax, $17) by Edith Holden is the perfect book to while away a summer Sunday afternoon. It covers a year in the life of Holden, an English schoolteacher, who wrote the diary during the course of 1906 in order to encourage her pupils to learn about nature. Divided into months, the volume contains snippets of favourite poems and observations about the wildlife surrounding her home in the village of Olton, Warwickshire, but what really catches the eye and the imagination are her exquisite renderings of flora and fauna. Colour illustrations detailing birds, insects, flowers and more punctuate the diary's entries, stimulating all the senses and inspiring readers to go out collecting leaves, birds' eggs and moss cups. By the end of summer you'll have your own assembly of Mother Nature's little dividends.

Best day: June 25th, when Holden and friends go for a long country walk on lanes fragrant with roses and honeysuckle, clover and grass; picnicking follows with a pair of robins and beautiful little dragonflies at a wayside pond.

A GARDEN LOST IN TIME
Picture yourself walking through a country forest on a summer day – birds are chirping, the sun is hot on your back. Imagine parting a tangle of overgrown branches and coming face to face with ruined buildings, crumbling stone walls, stagnant ponds and the remains of age-old gardens, the scent of waist-high grasses and flowers left to grow wild strong in the air. Shades of A Secret Garden, right? Well, about 10 years ago, if you were walking in rural Wales, you might have encountered this scene at Aberglasney, a country house and its surrounding garden complex whose origins are shrouded in mystery. In 1995, the Aberglasney Restoration Trust purchased the mansion complex and began the restoration and renaissance of the garden plots. The story of that ongoing restoration is captured in A Garden Lost in Time (Seven Dials, $26), by Penny David. Through chapters covering the Middle Ages to the present day, David recounts known details of the garden plots (at least seven of them), and brings the history of the estate to life. The story, still unfolding today, is rife with myths and legends, resident poets, bishops, ghosts, army officers and more, appealing to lovers of both detective stories and gardening books alike.

Best Garden: The Cloisters: A spot adjacent to the house surrounded by a cryptoporticus (a long arcaded walkway), offering an invitation to stroll.

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TATTERED TREASURES
The thick of garage sale and flea market season is upon us, but what to do with those 'treasures' you pick up for a song from your neighbour's yard? Lauren Powell's book, Tattered Treasures: Stylish Decorating with Flea Market Finds (Sterling, $42), has the answer. Ideas abound – a vintage handkerchief makes a sweet gift wrap tied around a box; stacks of old books add interest to a mantel; mismatched containers hold cutlery and napkins for an impromptu outdoor picnic. Most pages feature lavish colour photographs with just a caption that explains the decorating approach. Other pages contain easy directions for savvy paint effects and antique finishes. Twelve chapters in all, including Frames, Prints & Photos; Glass Bottles & Jars; Lamps; Small Collections and even Wooden Chairs, hold myriad interpretations for items that others toss away, so take advantage of laid-back summer days and start a new project.

Best chapter: Wooden Chairs. A whole section just on the versatility of this piece of furniture. Who knew what the right placement or a crackle finish could do for the old chair that everyone is guaranteed to own?

COMPLETE GRILLING COOKBOOK
I must be the only woman on the planet who has to persuade, coax and cajole her mate out the back door and over to the barbecue. But I've found a secret weapon this summer: the Williams-Sonoma Complete Grilling Cookbook (TimeLife, $34), edited by Chuck Williams, is going to be strategically placed on our kitchen counter, an irresistible temptation to my meat-and-potatoes-loving husband. One glimpse of the photos of succulent Hickory-Smoked Fresh Ham, Herbed Two-Potato Skewers or Lobster with Citrus Butter and he'll be reaching for the apron and tongs. Sections covering seafood, poultry, vegetables and desserts are accompanied by an upfront section with great tips on buying and using grills, plus a handy grilling chart that make this a jam-packed book you'll use all year-round.

Best Recipe: Corn with Seasoned Butters. A guide to grilling corn on the cob, accompanied by mouthwatering recipes for smothering those kernels in pecan butter, lime butter, chili butter or Italian herb butter.