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I was recently interviewed by Timber Press about the new and completely revised edition of The Well-Tended Perennial Garden. Visit the Timber Press blog for the full interview!

The Well-Tended Perennial Garden is one of the bestselling gardening books of all time. When you set out to write the first edition, did you have any idea the book would become as respected and widely used as it is?

As it is said, “not in my wildest dreams” did I think the book would be so popular. I’m very grateful for the support of my readers over the years. Writing is a very isolated and exposing practice, especially as a younger woman in a male dominated field and as a first-time author. Fighting doubt and fear of failure was an ongoing process that eventually made me stronger and more confident.

The new and completely revised edition includes new plants, new garden designs, up-to-date pruning and maintenance techniques, and a fresh new package featuring hundreds of lush photographs. Tell us more about the research you did to update the book.

The updates are based, as Well-Tended has always been, on practical hands-on experience. It was fun to add the many new plants and cultivars that I’ve been growing and pruning since the first edition. Also, it’s exciting to share some of my new design projects and the lessons of sound horticultural practices for bed prep, planting, staking, division, and pest control they inspired.

Read the rest of the interview here! or //www.timberpress.com/books/isbn.cfm/9780881928037/well_tended_perennial_garden/disabato-austclick here to purchase your copy of the new book!

Hi! I just wanted to let you know the triathlon page on my website has been updated. Also, check out the article in this month’s Columbus Monthly – “Fitness Freaks At 50”. Come and join me at the The Central Ohio Home & Garden Show – Ohio Expo Center, this Saturday Feb. 27, 1pm & 3pm for Design and High-Impact, Low-Care Plant talks. For more info and an article featuring “Tracy’s Trophy Plants” visit www.dispatchhomeandgarden.com page 34.

Recently, I had the chance to appear on the #1 gardening show in the Northwest, “Garden Time” while in Portland, Oregon.  Our topic was my most recent book.

Recently, I have become a guest contributor to the VibrantNation.com website.   You can read a brief profile they posted about me by clicking here. VibrantNation.com is an online destination for women 50+, a peer-to-peer information exchange populated by smart and passionate women, who are looking for tips and information, as well as important opinions and attitudes on culture, money, food, style, wellness, travel, gardening, politics, and more—the topics that interest WOMEN WHO KNOW. VibrantNation.com connects women who recognize the strength in each other and share each other’s desire to make the most of life every day.     My thanks to VibrantNation for giving me the opportunity to share my love of gardening with new friends  everywhere! Here is a direct link to my content on the Vibrant Nation site.

Thanks to everyone who joined us for Big Blend Radio‘s “Champagne Sunday” radio show on Sunday, March 15.   We talked about my trophy plant picks of resistant pants.These are trophy plants that are resistant to drought, deer, pests, & disease!!  Some of the plants  are:

Paperbark Maple (Acer griseum) which is also coverd in my books ” High Impact” and “Well-Designed”. Tumbleweed Onion (Allium Schubertii) as above,‘Jack Frost’ Siberian Bugloss (Brunnera macrophylla ‘Jack Frost’) which is covered  in “High Impact”,Bottlebrush Grass (Elymus hystrix),also in “High Impact” , and ‘Henry’s Garnet’ Virginia Sweet Spire (Itea virginica ‘Henry’s Garnet), covered in “High Impact” and “Well-Designed Mixed Garden”.  Thanks again to the ladies at the Big Blend website. (www.bigblendmagazine.com).

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Want to save money in the garden? It is a hot topic right now. Click on the MEDIA tab to read some of the recent articles where I have shared a few ideas.

One of the great things about writing garden books is the opportunity to meet gardeners from all over the world as I travel to do lectures and book tours.  Although my books have been covered by media outlets in many different places, it is especially nice to pick up my hometown paper and read an article like the one that appeared today in the Columbus Dispatch. If you’d like to read it, here is the link.    My thanks to reporter Tim Feran.

Mike is the legendary voice of Chicago gardening and I will be on his radio show (820 on the AM dial)  at 1pm Central (2pm Eastern) Get details at  www.mikenowak.net and even if you’re not in Chicago, check out the WCPT internet stream at  www.chicagoprogressivetalk.com.

If you miss the broadcast, check out Mike’s podcasts by linking here