Joanna Gaines is the co-founder of Magnolia, a home and lifestyle brand that she started with her husband, Chip, in 2003. She is the bestselling author of The Magnolia Story, Magnolia Table, and Homebody, as well as editor-in-chief of Magnolia Journal, a lifestyle magazine offering inspiration for your life and home. The Gaineses, along with their five kids, live on a farm in Waco, Texas, where they enjoy caring for their bustling family garden. Julianna Swaney is an illustrator whose work is inspired by whimsical details of daily life and the fairy tales she loved reading as a child. She grew up homeschooled, which allowed free range for her imagination and interests in folklore, nature, and history. She lives in Portland, Oregon, where she illustrates children's books and works in her garden. Her delicate illustrations are created using watercolor, gouache, and colored pencil.
The trials, tribulations, and joys of gardening are brought to light in this entertaining tale of one family's introduction to caring for indoor plants and using that know-how in a garden, from Joanna Gaines of HGTV's Fixer Upper fame. Beginning with a fern that dies after being over-loved and over-watered, four children and their parents study up on what plants require: light, water, and a bit of conversation. Once they feel ready, the family works together to design a fruit, vegetable, and flower garden. As the plot takes shape, the family gains knowledge about seeds, garden critters--both good (worms and ladybugs) and bad (aphids)--and pollinators, including hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies. Though the family has some trouble with animals eating their produce, they remember that 'every failure or setback teaches us something.' Delicately detailed and engaging illustrations deftly follow the garden's progress. Packed with useful information in an easy-to-understand format, this will help children, and their adults, who wish to venture into the world of growing some of their own food and flowers. * Booklist *