Maverick Gardeners Book

Maverick Gardeners: Dr. Dirt and Other Determined Independent Gardeners
Paperback, 200 pages, 9781496832719
Release date: March 2021

Okay, I’ve done the gardening how-to expert thing long enough. I’ve had my say on what, where, and how to plant stuff and take care of it.

Now it’s the peoples‘ time. Maverick Gardeners is a celebration of DIGrs – Determined Independent Gardeners – found in nearly every neighborhood worldwide. These earnest, color-outside-the-lines folks garden for the love of it and nurture and share beloved plants and time-tested techniques. While they may garden alone, these seeming outliers are a loosely-affiliated tribe bound by plants and attitude. They’re modern-day “keepers of the flame.”

And it’s time they were celebrated with an in-depth look at what motivates them.

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I’ve delved into the thoughts and feelings, way past the jumbled, creative, often (to outsiders) crazy-looking melenge of plants and objects, cobbled together by gardeners who don’t fit the expected mold. Often mocked by more formal gardeners they – we – hold up our heads and keep doing what works for us. We’re also very happy to share, if you stop by to chat.

And yeah, we ALL have a bit of Maverick in us – so you will most certainly find something in this unique book that will be helpful for your own gardening muse!

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Oh, and there’s even a how-to guide to making a durable flower pot from a used car tire.

Where can I buy a copy of Maverick Gardeners?

Maverick Gardeners, published by Mississippi University Press, is available from your normal retailer. If you’re struggling to source a copy, please contact me – I may be able to help from my own little stash.

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Publisher’s notes:

Included in Maverick Gardeners are classic “passalong plant” lists, a dollop of how-to, numerous color photographs, and thought-provoking essays on quintessential tools, sharing with others, getting away with wildflowers in suburbia, and organizing a plant swap. The centerpiece of this unique gardening journey is the no-holds-barred story of a ten-year cross-cultural collaboration between the horticulturist author and a flamboyant rebellious gardener who called himself Dirt. Through swapping plants—and rubbing shoulders with fellow DIGrs—they unraveled their shared humanity, and spread the word through their live call-in NPR program. From the practical to the inspiring, Maverick Gardeners is the perfect book for those nonconformist souls who see no sense in trying to fit in and follow the footpaths of others.

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Reviews of Maverick Gardeners

“Felder may be a mad scientist, but he knows his science and a great deal more. He is visionary, authentic, totally original, and a teacher. If you love plants, eccentric gardeners, and ‘been there, done that’ wisdom, you will greatly enjoy this book. “

– Steve Bender, Southern Living‘s “Grumpy Gardener” and coauthor with Felder Rushing of Passalong Plants

“Maverick Gardeners is a reflective look at feeling good about oneself while hoeing your own row. This inspirational book takes a look at both the art and humanity of gardening and serves as affirmation, a constant reminder that we all get to choose what beat we march to. “

– Greg Grant, coauthor of Heirloom Gardening in the South and The Rose Rustlers

“Maverick Gardeners is an utterly charming ode to the offbeat, I-garden-my-way individuals who plot their own horticultural pathways through life. Felder’s tale of his friendship of Dr. Dirt and how it ended is especially moving. Both Trowels Up for this one!”

– Pat Stone, editor, GreenPrints, “The Weeder’s Digest”