Greenwoman Publishing was founded on three passions: an enthusiasm for gardening, a deep love of garden writing, and a desire to do something that would turn people on to both. Twenty-five years ago I discovered garden writing through Bonnie Marranca's American Garden Writing. A new world opened up for me through the words of Thomas Jefferson, Alice Morse Earle, J. I. Rodale, Wendell Berry, Allen Lacy, Elizabeth Lawrence, and many others.
I learned that the genre of garden writing was a marriage of Nature and Culture: the beauty, magic, and science of gardening as it connected to history, art, politics, fashion, ecology, philosophy . . . everything!
It made me want to get my hands into the soil, to create my own garden, and, most importantly, to be a better steward of the earth. It made me want to write and publish work that excited others about gardening. Greenwoman Publishing is devoted to green thought in all its forms--fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, biography, art, and comics. We publish a rich variety of new voices and we revisit the classics.
Our Exciting New Release for 2019:
Please Don't Piss on the Petunias!
Please Don't Piss on the Petunias is a collection of essays and stories by a Colorado gardener with a dream: to give her two daughters the nature-centered childhood she had always longed for. When her husband finds an old house in a quirky part of town, she begins to make her dream a reality.
Engaging, edgy, and often hilarious, Please Don’t Piss on the Petunias follows Sandra Knauf as she turns a weed-filled yard into an urban paradise. Over the course of several chaotic years, she:
Muddles through "mistress gardener" training, learning the ABCs of horticulture.
Raises, with her young daughters, exotic breed bantam chickens named after Greek goddesses.
Goes on her first bee-swarm capture.
Discovers that a hen in their small flock has undergone a sex change.
Copes with a series of family dogs: a rambunctious rescue Dalmatian, a destructive black Lab puppy, and a counterfeit teacup Chihuahua with a bad attitude.
Adds to the animal menagerie: Netherlands dwarf rabbits, fancy backyard goldfish, triops from the age of the dinosaurs, and more.
Through creating a life filled with plants and animals (and plenty of love) Sandra makes a discovery that will resonate with any rebel: Going off the beaten path may be the best way to find out who you really are.
"An ambitious sci-fi novel that will charm eco-champions . . ." -Kirkus Reviews
". . . Knauf 's powers of description are marvelous, as is her ability to create original, funny characters and terrific, punchy dialogue. . . . will leave readers hoping for a sequel." -BlueInk Review
"The minor characters are exquisite: lively, entertaining, and complex." -San Francisco Book Review
Greenwoman Publishing's logo was inspired by antique drawings of the legendary Picts—the Celts who painted their bodies before going into battle. The warrior-soul, the natural/celestial designs, the beautiful ferocity, all of it resonated with Sandra when she was looking for the perfect image for her publishing venture. She said she thought, here was a female who could represent Greenwoman!
Colorado Springs artist Mike Beenenga created this powerful and distinctive logo. You can see his work on Facebook at Artistic Gold Creative Concepts.