Our Summer Reading List

Ready to delve into a good book? Morris Arboretum staffers are an enthusiastic group of readers and have offered up some great book suggestions. As a bonus, we're even sharing our favorite spots in the garden to get lost in the pages!

Our Summer Garden Reading List

• American Canopy: Trees, Forests, and the Making of a Nation by Erik Rutkow
  This fascinating and groundbreaking book tells the remarkable story of the relationship between Americans and their trees across the entire span of our nation's history, perfect for history buffs and nature lovers alike.
  Where to read it: The cozy benches at the Orange Balustrade where you can listen to the sounds of water trickling through the rocks as you turn the pages.
   
• Sting in the Tale: My Adventures with Bumblebees by Dave Goulson
  Goulson, an English scientist with a passion for bees, a wonderful sense of humor and a great knack for making science accessible.
  Where to read it: Lydia's Seat (Adjacent to the Rock Wall). Get lost in this read while watching the bees busy in the Rose Garden.
   
• The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert
  A glorious, sweeping novel of desire, ambition, and the thirst for knowledge, from the New York Times bestselling author of Eat, Pray, Love.
  Where to read it: The benches outside our Victorian glasshouse Fernery, which makes the perfect backdrop for this period story.
   
• The Brother Gardeners: A Generation of Gentlemen Naturalists and the Birth of an Obsession by Andrea Wulf
  Bringing to life the science and adventure of eighteenth-century plant collecting, The Brother Gardeners is the story of how six men created the modern garden and changed the horticultural world in the process. It is a story of a garden revolution that began in America.
  Where to read it: Grab a seat in one of the Adirondack chairs around the swan pond for this fascinating tale.
   
• Chasing the Rose: An Adventure in the Venetian Countryside by Andrea Di Robilant
  What starts out as a lighthearted quest becomes a meaningful journey as di Robilant contemplates the enduring beauty of what is passed down to us in a rose, through both the generosity of nature and the cultivating hand of human beings, who for centuries have embraced and extended the life of this mysterious flower.
  Where to read it: The Rose Garden, of course! Bonus: This book is available for purchase at our Visitor Center Shop.