000			01626nam a2200169Ia 4500
005			20250728154344.0
008			250728s9999 xx 000 0 und d
020			_a9781849830188
082			_a949.5076092 _bSHA
100			_aShaw, Jane
245		0	_aTalking to Zeus
260			_bPocket Books _c2010
300			_a368 pages
500			_aJane Shaw was working as a volunteer in Chelsea's famous Physic Garden when she earned a placement to work for a year on a very special organic garden in Greece. But this was to be no easy-going break in the Mediterranean. The five-acre plot, which Jane swiftly named 'Alcatraz', was devoid of creature comforts, perched on a steep, remote hillside that was blindingly hot in summer and freezing in winter, and overseen by a 74-year-old, passionate, mercurial eccentric English lady called Joy. On arrival, Jane is immediately drawn into the intrigue of village life, such as the ongoing feud with the nouveau richeex-pat neighbour with a sports car, whom Joy suspects has dug an illegal bore hole to water his terraced lawns. But most of all she is beguiled by the vibrant energy of the landscape, the folklore, the food and the numerous engaging characters who flock to Joy as the wise matriarch of the locale. The story arcs through a year of seasons in the garden as Jane learns to love its wild beauty and to relish the hard work and care it needs. This is a charming, wildly entertaining and joyful portrait of a very special place, and will appeal to anyone who loves gardening, or who has enjoyed books such as Driving Over Lemons.
650			_aGardens
942			_cENGLISH
999			_c577818 _d577818