Mrs. Whaley and Her Charleston Garden. I picked up this book on our honeymoon in Charleston, S.C., back in 2004. I was able to finish it and then make a pilgrimage to her actual garden (which was open to the public for a small fee) within that week, too. A sweet read with thoughts on designs for small garden spaces, some favorite recipes and an inviting tone. I've liked spending a little time with Mrs. Whaley when I can—here and there and in between the snowstorms.

Two Gardeners: Katharine S. White & Elizabeth Lawrence—A Friendship in Letters. I just bought this book after it caught my cabin-fevered eye at a local shop. Katharine S. White was a writer for The New Yorker, and Elizabeth Lawrence (a garden writer for The Charlotte Observer) reached out to her after White wrote an article on the various (at-the-time) available seed catalogs. Their correspondence continued, and, through their 150 letters, we get a peek into their gardening and personal lives. (Fun fact: White was married to E.B. White.)

The Ruth Stout No-Work Garden Book (out of print). Truth be told, I have been taking this book out from our library for extended stays, as I try to absorb Stout’s gardening philosophy. The no-work ideal is based in very thick mulches of either straw or hay around the plants, to cut back on watering and weeding. I am especially curious about her take on asparagus beds (which usually involve a lot of digging and trenching), and she also experimented with planting seeds and seedlings directly atop her piles of mulch. Oh, the promises this method holds!

The Herb Quarterly is the quaintest gardening publication out there—in my mind. Delicate watercolors illustrate articles on the latest herb news, herb garden visits from around the country, and recipes for both beauty supplies and unique meals. I have learned how to dye clothing with plant materials, make herbal honeys and bake calendula biscuits, all ideas prompted by reading HQ.