I had a distant relative named Nadine Mills Coleman. I'm not sure if I ever got to meet her in person, if so, I don't remember. I wish I could have met her though. if I didn't. My impression about her is that she was quite a character. She was married to O.T. Coleman (my Great Grandmothers Brother) and he was a Soil Science Professor at the University and they lived here in town for many, many years. They actually lived in a quaint little cottage in the middle of town. It's on the historic register now and still looks like a storybook cottage.
Nadine started writing when she was in her 40's. I only know of two books she had published and I don't know if there were more. One of her books is called, The Joyful Gardener (published in 1985) and the other one is called the Mistress of Ravenswood (published in 1992). She also wrote articles for local newspapers and some magazines including The Readers Digest. I wonder what she would have thought about todays technology and how anyone with a love of writing can self-publish on their blog. Both of the books for published locally and I don't think were ever on the mass market.
I have always had interest in her and remember asking my Grandma West about her on many occasions. When I moved here 20 years ago I would drive by that little cottage and think about when she lived there. One of the reasons I have been so interested in her is because of her writing and her love of gardening...two of my loves as well.
I don't know when Nadine died but I think it was in the early 1990's. She was in her mid-90's when the Mistress of Ravenswood was written and published.
Because it's Springtime and flowers are popping up everywhere I thought it would be a fun tribute to Nadine to post some of her writings from The Joyful Gardener since I don't think you can buy the book anywhere. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have.
The Joyful Gardener by Nadine Mills Coleman
Have fun while you garden. Once in a while plant something where you want it to be regardless of what the catalogue says. Flowers and shrubs must find it quite dull with spittlebugs weaving webs on leaves, sowbugs nibbling at root stems, and bees poking inquisitive tongues overall.
When I heard that Oriental poppies resented being transplanted I got a spade and moved one just to see how a resentful poppy reacted. Know something? It was tickled pink.
One day I decided that my Japonica bush was too squat. To make it tall and tree-like I clipped the overgrown shrub down to one sturdy sprout. It was furious and said so in strong Japanese Quince language, but I whacked and slashed on it for two years. now I am asked, 'What kind of tree is that?"
From the red soil of Georgia I brought a Texas Star to our Missouri garden. Now the beauty stands 15 feet tall, but it has not yet caught on that it's in Yankeeland. my little secret gives me pleasure.
Someday I plan to have a spindle tree. I know nothing about spindle trees -- what they do or look like -- but I imagine myself remarking casually to a visitor, "By the way, have you seen my new spindle tree?"
Thus, I take pleasure in a spindle tree I do not possess.
She would have been such a fascinating person to know. I can see why you have always been interested in her. It would be wonderful to find her book. I have always loved the idea of a house that looked like a storybook cottage. I often wanted to make our house look like the woodcutters cottage from Sleeping Beauty. I am going for a more colorful look now, but it would be really neat all the same!! :)
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