Late Bloomer: How to Garden with Comfort, Ease and Simplicity in the Second Half of Life

by Jan Coppola Bills

Overview

There are times in a gardener's life when what we want to do and what we can do are at odds. Our knees and backs may be complaining, our energy isn’t what it was – yet our desire to get our hands in the dirt is as strong as ever. Or maybe we’ve downsized to a much smaller outdoor space that doesn’t look promising at all. What to do? In Late Bloomer, garden designer Jan Coppola Bills shows us how to successfully rethink our approach to gardening as we age. The author is a second-half-of-life gardener who helps her many friends and clients achieve easy care, low cost, eco-friendly, simple and beautiful gardens. It’s all about maintaining a joyful, healthful connection with the soil – but without the toil. Late Bloomer is part garden philosophy and part on-the-ground strategies and tips from the author and expert gardeners across the U.S. With color photos on almost every page, this inviting and practical book is organized around the four tenets of the Late Bloomer philosophy: Simplicity. Beauty and Harmony. Comfort and Ease. Relaxation and Letting Go.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781943366057
Publisher:	St. Lynn's Press
Publication date:	11/17/2016
Pages:	160
Sales rank:	224,756
Product dimensions:	7.40(w) x 6.60(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Jan Coppola Bills is a certified landscape designer, advanced master gardener, entrepreneur, and contributing writer for State-by-State Gardening magazine. She holds a Masters of Art in Organizational Management and a Bachelor of Science in Business & Management. She left the corporate world to start her Detroit-area landscape design company Two Women and a Hoe (twowomenandahoe.com). She has a large, active following on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

Read an Excerpt

If there is a Late Bloomer’s credo, it would go something like this:

• I will plant only what I can comfortably tend.
• I will not give myself tasks beyond my ability to easily achieve.
• I will ask for help, if necessary.
• I will not concern myself with “perfection.”
• I will allow my garden to deepen my connection with nature.
• I will garden simply because it pleases my soul.

What People are Saying About This

Sue Goetz

“Reading this is like having Jan right by your side in the garden. Late Bloomer is packed with ideas for making gardening easier and truly more enjoyable – nurturing advice and tips for late bloomers of any age! I love how Jan puts it: ‘Gardening is the art of soul to soil.’” ~ Sue Goetz, garden consultant, coach and designer, author of The Herb Lover’s Spa Book

Pat Seibel

"Straight forward, easy to follow advice from a professional gardener who walks the walk. Late Bloomer incorporates knowledgeable tips delivered with a very personal touch." ~ Pat Seibel, Proven Winners Display Garden Supervisor, Four Star Greenhouse, Inc.

Helen Yoest

“The best part of gardening at 60 is that I now know exactly what I want. I’m no longer lured by trends, especially high maintenance ones. Jan’s Late Bloomer is spot on, sharing her wisdom for gardening in the second half of our gardening lives. Youth, too, can learn from Jan’s wisdom. If I could travel back in time, I’d take this book with me. A must read for anyone wanting to simplify their lives.”
~ Helen Yoest, Director, Bee Better, author of Plants with Benefits and Good Berry, Bad Berry

JoEllen Myers Sharp

“Late bloomer gardeners understand the natural pace of the garden and appreciate all of its elements, from sun to rain, insects to birds, successes and learning opportunities, sometimes called failures or mistakes. Jan provides timely suggestions to guide us, all with an eye to not overdo, to take our time and enjoy all the experiences gardening has to offer.” ~ Jo Ellen Myers Sharp, The Hoosier Gardener, author, speaker

Ann Brant Hoyt

“Sometimes, stepping back from years of gardening due to new physical limitations can be painful! But with the help of an experienced professional who listens to your needs and what you love most, you can STILL enjoy your gardens. Jan did just that for me. She designed and planted beds that can be managed and enjoyed for many years to come. The aging gardener will find many helpful tips in her new book.”
~ Anne Brant Hoyt, client homeowner, Northern MI

From the Publisher

“The best part of gardening at 60 is that I now know exactly what I want. I’m no longer lured by trends, especially high maintenance ones. Jan’s Late Bloomer is spot on, sharing her wisdom for gardening in the second half of our gardening lives. Youth, too, can learn from Jan’s wisdom. If I could travel back in time, I’d take this book with me. A must read for anyone wanting to simplify their lives.”

~ Helen Yoest, Director, Bee Better, author of Plants with Benefits and Good Berry, Bad Berry

“Sometimes, stepping back from years of gardening due to new physical limitations can be painful! But with the help of an experienced professional who listens to your needs and what you love most, you can STILL enjoy your gardens. Jan did just that for me. She designed and planted beds that can be managed and enjoyed for many years to come. The aging gardener will find many helpful tips in her new book.”

~ Anne Brant Hoyt, client homeowner, Northern MI

Jan Johnsen

“People who embrace gardening later in life are the most avid gardeners I know! Jan Coppola Bills matches their enthusiasm with super garden ideas and wonderful photos. Her lively and engaging book is a must for those who are ‘late bloomers’ – and a great book for any garden lover.” ~ Jan Johnsen, NY, Johnsen Landscape and Pools, author of Heaven is a Garden and The Spirit of Stone.

P.Allen Smith

“This honest, forthright book offers a generous, lighthearted approach to gardening and dresses it with humor and wisdom. It’s a must for every late bloomer.”
~ P. Allen Smith, author and host of the PBS show, “P. Allen Smith’s Garden Home” and the syndicated show “Garden Style”

Interviews

Here is a small book that presents a nonintimidating introduction to gardening for the midlife beginner. “Late Bloomer: How to Garden With Comfort, Ease and Simplicity in the Second Half of Life,” by Jan Coppola Bills (St. Lyons Press, 2016), emphasizes a relaxed approach to creating a more rewarding garden.

Editorial Reviews

Late Bloomer is filled with sensible ideas about tools, plant selections, irrigation, and garden maintenance. The good advice is not just for veteran gardeners, but beginning gardeners and everyone in between.

Jill Sell

Her down-to-earth tips are so smart, they could help gardeners of any age get more enjoyment from their gardening experience.

How to be a Happy Gardener - Jodi Torpey

Late Bloomer may be a small book but it brings a different perspective for landscape designers and is full of ideas for giving the client gardens they will want to live in.

Bobbie Schwartz

This book is all about making gardening easier as we age, but it would be a great resource for any gardener who could use tips on easy ways to keep their green spaces looking great.

Joanne Kempinger Demski

Just got a dandy new book from St. Lynn's called Late Bloomer. It's about taking up gardening in your mature years (middle age) to whenever you decide to quit. Since I considered myself a late bloomer it was an interesting read. Lots of tips, ideas, and learning to simplify your work. I should have had this book twenty years ago because it says only plant what you can comfortably tend. Read this if you are just beginning to garden, it might save your back and knees!

Stephanie Cohen FB page - Stephanie Cohen

[Jan's] new book, "Late Bloomer", is as much about changing our later-life view of gardening as it is practical tips on getting the job done despite sore backs and aching knees.

George Weigel