I love reading any garden writer who demonstrates wit, good humor, and brisk common sense, three traits Dillon shares with another of my favorite writers, the late Christopher Lloyd. -- Elizabeth Licata Garden Rant 20070919 One of my favorite offerings this year ... a charming and information-packed perennial primer with enticing pictures from Ireland's best-loved gardener. ... Beginners and advanced gardeners alike will benefit from browsing Helen's book, which is as delicious as a box of chocolates on a rainy day. -- Ann Lovejoy Seattle Post-Intelligencer 20071011 Refreshingly outspoken, endearingly offbeat, Dillon offers advice and instruction on an eclectic array of gardening topics. ... Like the most delightful gardens themselves, Dillon's book invites the reader to pop in and out, learning - and laughing - along the way. -- Carl Haggas Booklist 20071001 Dillon keeps the details to a minimum, so you can pick it up at random, or keep it by your bedside, read a chapter in a few minutes and absorb a great deal of information. For people who like to be out in the garden (rather than just looking at one), this is a book you'll want in your collection. Garden Design Online 20071031 Dillon's straightforward writing style perfectly suits her open attitude. She is funny, too, peppering her text with just the right amount of wit, be it subtle or stark. She does both to a T. In this book, readers find a voice they can follow and trust. -- Meghan Lynch Horticulture 20071101 Gardening from a pristine Dublin plot, droll green thumb Dillon offers equal measures of witticism and advice - both expert techniques and common sense tips - in this verdant, photo-rich guide, imbued with enough passion to inspire an all-consuming hobby. The perfect book for anyone contemplating a leap into the gardening lifestyle ... informative, personal, and gorgeous. Publishers Weekly 20071203 Helen Dillon is amazing. Funny, oozing knowledge (seemingly about everything). ... I'd read this book even if I didn't want to learn anything. -- Kym Pokorny Homes + Gardens Northwest 20071201 Helen Dillon mixes an irresistible Irish wit with common-sense design advice and plant knowledge. ... She describes the arc of her gardening life and the evolution of her famous Dublin garden in frank words that will appeal equally to beginning and seasoned gardeners. -- Valerie Easton Seattle Times 20071209 Features witty and instructive essays by this esteemed garden maker based in Dublin. -- Carol Stocker Boston Globe 20071213 For people who enjoy fine writing as well as fine gardening, I heartily recommend Down to Earth With Helen Dillon. ... When I first read Helen Dillon, who gardens in Dublin, it was one of those moments when I knew I'd found a special writer who has a great touch whether she's writing about slugs or topsoil dealers. -- Irene Virag Newsday 20071216 More than a how-to gardening book. ... If you're a gardener as well as a reader, this book is a must-have. Good for beginning gardeners, too. San Luis Obispo Tribune 20071221 Dillon's garden is truly beautiful and displayed throughout in gorgeous photographs. The book is a pleasure to leaf through. ... Dillon brings an ease and a conversational tone to the text and and she can be very funny. -- David Bare Winston-Salem Journal 20071215 A delightful book for both new and experienced gardeners, full of Dillon's hands-on experience. She is as generous in sharing her mistakes as her successes. -- Dulcy Mahar Homes + Gardens Northwest 20080110 A warm, witty, but very practical guide to organic gardening. LancasterOnline.com 20080112 [Dillon] tempers her wit and humor with an abundance of common sense as she describes the various phases she and her garden have gone through. There is much in these pages for gardeners at all levels. -- Ethel Fried Manchester (CT) Journal Inquirer 20071209 By the end I felt that I had made a new friend in gardening, and was as familiar with her garden as it is possible to be without actually visiting it in person. -- Rosemary Read Social Gardener 20081001 Easy to read, witty, and full of information. Dillon's love of plants emerges in thoughtful ideas and practical advice. -- Mary Beiler San Diego Home/Garden Lifestyles 20080301 A very informative and fun-to-read book that covers the entire spectrum of gardening. It is written for the broad range of gardeners from novice to experienced, and is written in a very accessible style. -- Madeline Caliendo Washington Gardener 20080701 Dillon is a true garden guru well-known in the United States as well as in Great Britain and New Zealand. ... Her design ideas and methods are easily transported across the ocean. -- Cheryl B. Wilson Daily Hampshire Gazette 20081212
