Mrs. Whaley and Her Charleston Garden by Emily Whaley

Mrs. Whaley and Her Charleston Garden by Emily Whaley, in conversation with William Baldwin

Emily Whaley was a Charleston gardener with strong opinions and a deep love of experimentation. Her narrow city garden became famous not because it was fixed, but because it was always evolving.

She changed her mind often, revised freely, and pulled plants out when they no longer worked. After the book was published, even The New York Times took notice, writing about her garden rooms, borrowed backdrops, and her habit of rethinking everything every few years.

This is an especially good January book because it demystifies gardening. It is practical, unpretentious, and often very funny. Emily reminds readers that good gardens are built by people willing to iterate, improve, and keep going.