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Book Review and Giveaway: Heirloom Bulbs For Today

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Book Review + Giveaway Contest

(Contest Ended 3/15/2011)

Bottom Line: I love this book!

This is my very first book review and blog giveaway. When my friend Chris Wiesinger mentioned he was working on his first book, I wasn’t surprised. I’ve always known great things were in store for Chris. I first heard him speak at a local nursery (The Arbor Gate in Tomball, Texas) in 2006 about heirloom bulbs. I was inspired. He’s passionate about bulbs and it’s contagious. Bulbs are magical. Sometimes hidden, sometimes forgotten, but always a welcome surprise when they appear and burst into bloom… year after year.

Heirloom Bulbs for Today by Chris Wiesinger

My first experience with heirloom bulbs was over 20 years when a neighbor handed me a clump of rain lilies (Zephyranthes grandiflora). I had never seen one before. I planted them. They’ve been blooming in my garden during late summer ever since. Through hurricanes and hard freezes – they somehow return. That is what is so special about using bulbs in your garden. In this book, you’ll learn about heirloom bulbs and how to use them to make your garden smile. Chris weaves plant profiles with interesting stories and history – shared with the southern charm of sipping tea on your front porch. If you’ve read the Bulb Hunter blog, you understand what I mean. In this book, Chris takes you with him on his bulb hunting adventures… you’re in for a treat.
This book is the perfect size (square about 10 in x 10 in) to curl up with on your sofa and marvel at the photography and stunning botanical illustrations. The print is large (thank you) and easy to read. The bulbs in this book are organized in groups that make sense for gardeners. Bulbs for most all areas, many areas and limited areas. You’ll even find a seasonal landscape plan for the famous “Red Cabin” where Chris and his wife Rebecca live.

  • Hardcover: 180 pages
  • Publisher: Bright Sky Press (February 1, 2011)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 193397995X
  • ISBN-13: 978-1933979953
  • Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 10.1 x 1 inches

Co-authored with Cherie Foster Colburn and introduction by Dr. Bill Welch. Art by Loela Barry and Johan Kritzinger.

WARNING: The photos and illustrations are so breathtaking….You may be tempted to cut out some of pages for framing!  🙂

Want to read this book? or perhaps give it as gift to someone special?

Here’s how:

Buy It

Head over to Southernbulbs.com and order a signed copy of this amazing book. Copies ordered from Southern Bulbs are signed! You can also find it on Amazon.com
but it won’t be signed by Chris.

Win It

Chris has generously offered to provide a signed copy to the winner of this giveaway contest.

How to enter this giveaway:

Mandatory Entry: This must be done.

Visit Southernbulbs.com, look around, and then come back here, leave a comment to share your favorite heirloom bulb you found on the site. Tell us why it is your favorite? Bloom time, flower size, flower color, etc… You can do this first, last or somewhere in between, but it must be done in order to win, so why not head over there now and start browsing the bulbs for sale?

Please leave an e-mail address on at least one of your entry comments so I know how to reach you if you win.

Extra Entries:

Want more chances to win? Complete as many of these things as you want for extra chances to win! Remember to leave a separate comment for each additional entry since each comment will count for one entry in the giveaway. (You’ll notice each comment is assigned a unique number, so the winner will be selected using randomizer.org which selects a number at random.) The more extra entries you complete, the better your chances! If a task is worth more than one entry, please leave a separate comment for each entry. (for instance: “I subscribed to your blog #1” and “I subscribed to your blog #2”).

Remember to leave a comment for each entry you complete.

1. If you win this book, are you keeping it or giving it as a gift? (1 entry)
2. Become a fan of Bulb Hunter on Facebook (2 entries)
3. Post a comment on the Bulb Hunter’s Facebook Wall. (1 entry)
4. Follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway. You can use this tweet: “Win a signed copy of Heirloom Bulbs for Today via @jdelia #Giveaway #BulbHunter (Ends 3/15) https://bit.ly/fGdSYZ” One entry per tweet. Leave the link to your tweet in your comment. (1 entry – you can do up to one tweet per day)
5. Leave a NEW comment on a non-giveaway post on Bulb Hunter blog (Worth 1 entry per comment, NEW comments only!)
6. Leave a NEW comment on a non-giveaway post on this blog (Worth 1 entry per comment, NEW comments only!)
7. Follow the Bulb Hunter on Twitter (2 entries)
8. Sign up for the Southern Bulb Newsletter on the Bulb Hunter’s blog (2 entries)
9. Subscribe to receive my blog posts via email or reader (2 entries)
10. Become a fan of my Facebook page (2 entries)
11. Make a purchase from Southernbulbs.com — do this and you get TEN additional entries. Yes, TEN! Leave one comment per entry. Let me know what you bought so I can verify if you win.

IMPORTANT: Beneath this posting is the word “Comments.” This is where you’ll put your entries. Only entries on this giveaway post will be counted. This giveaway will end at 10PM CST on Tuesday, March 15th, 2011. A winner comment number will be drawn using Random.org and I will send an e-mail to the comment author how will have 48 hours to respond to or a new winner will be selected. This giveaway is open to readers ages 18+ who are located within the United States.

Good Luck and Happy Gardening!

Make sure you leave your e-mail address in at least one of your comments.

All opinions expressed are my own. Southern Bulbs provided me with a copy of the book to review but that did not influence my opinion. I was not paid to write this review.

UPDATE: Wow! Thanks for all of the comments. I am looking forward to signing and sending a book soon. Chris Wiesinger. 🙂

We have a winner. HouGardenGirl comment # 10 was selected by Random.org.

# 10 was selected by Random.org
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Brandi says

    Hi Jackie,

    I’ve enjoyed reading your blog here and over at the Chronicle for a while now, and I especially love the photos.

    My favorite heirloom bulb featured on the Southern Bulb website is the Red Spiderlily, Lycoris radiata. I love the bloom, and how it kind of appears out of nowhere. But it is my favorite mostly because I remember it in my grandmother’s yard as a child and it brings back wonderful memories.

    I managed to hang on to her Amaryllis, but unfortunatley did not move any of the spider lilies. I only recently realized that the bulbs are available for purchase and I will definatley be placing an order the next time they are in stock.

  2. Nancy B says

    I’m like many other people. I like flowers that remind me of people I love and good memories. My mother always had hardy amaryllis growing in the backyard when I was a child. My sister and I would drive her crazy taking the ripened seed pods apart. She wanted us to leave them alone, but the temptation was too great.

  3. Lisa says

    This book sounds fantastic. If I were to win this I would read it & pass it on to my neighbor who is a Master Landscape Designer.

  4. Susanna says

    Jackie
    Chris’ book isn’t just a hit with you. I saw it featured on The Beekman 1802 newsletter as one of their current and favorite reads.
    I’m not sure my favorite bulb is an heirloom other than in the family. We had Paper whites at our old house that had come from my husband’s grandmother’s house in DeLeon,Tx. She loved them and we loved having a part of her in our yard. We left them there for the new owners to enjoy, but I miss seeing then poke up out of the ground. They would always surprise me…somehow I’d forget they were there waiting to reappear.

    Susanna

  5. Virginia says

    I love lillies! All of them. But, the Rain lilies with Crinum Stars and Stripes set was quite breathtaking. I could still plant them since they can be planted between March 1 – August 15 (my mother’s birthday) and they will bloom all summer and through fall if I get them in quick!! They will look lovely in the pink and white colors and since I don’t have deer in my yard they will be lovely for a long time!

    I will put them with the new calla lillies that are pink and white and they will all be pretty together!

  7. Trisha says

    It’s such a beautiful book, I’m not sure I could give it away, probably keep it as a coffe table book so I could enjoy it all the time. I would certainly buy it and give it as a gift to my friends who love gardening and those who don’t, it might inspire them to become a gardener.

  8. Rosalie Seemann says

    Hymenocallis Tropical Giant

    Although I will have to lift these bulbs in the fall, this beauty is a real eyecatcher and certainly worth the extra effort. Unusual white bloom will be a star for the evening garden as well.

  12. Houston Garden Girl says

    I have to pick one favorite?! Can’t do it. I narrowed it down to two. Hymenocallis Tropical Giant because it is very unique looking. And Crinum powellii Album because I love crinums, but I don’t have a white one…yet.

  14. Houston Garden Girl says

    I’m already a FB fan of Chris’ and a Twitter follower of yours, but I did FB and tweet about the giveaway. That should be good for 1.5 entries, right ;).

    This is so funny, I’ve never left so many comments on one article before. LOL

  18. Jo Lynn says

    I signed up for the Southern Bulb Newsletter on The Bulb Hunter’s blog. Can’t wait to start learning.

  19. Jo Lynn says

    I signed up for the Southern Bulb Newsletter on The Bulb Hunter’s blog. Yet another entry in The Heirloom Bulbs for Today contest!

  25. Amy G says

    I love the Narcissus bulbocodium “Hoop Petticoat” for it’s unusual and beautiful form! Keep up the good work!