Garden Author Dumpster Dives

Ellen Spector Platt

I've known Ellen Spector Platt for many years through the Garden Writers Association (GWA) to which we both belong. I knew of her even before that from her books, Easy and Elegant Rose Designs and some of her other books and magazines. You can read more about Ellen's work, books and background here. This year, in Tuscon, Arizona, at the GWA conference, Ellen unveiled her newest book, Artful Collage and Found Objects. The book demonstrates her amazingly creative design talents.

A fancy and highly creative way to make an elegant frame.

Ellen has been a gardener for many years, growing decorative flowers and herbs on her farm in Schuylkill County, PA She now gardens on an 18th floor garden in New York City. She is a part time instructor at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and also at the New York Botanic Garden. Ellen describes herself as a, "dumpster diver" and uses things she finds on the streets and even in dumpsters, for the collages in her book.

Everything seems fair game for Ellen's art. She combines seed pods and pressed flowers from her garden, with magazine clippings, photos and found objects and makes them world-class works of art.  

Not only is this a beautiful book with fascinating artwork, she shows you how she made the pieces so you can create a garden collage from your own materials. This book is a lot of fun and if you would like a chance to win a copy, leave a comment (click the word, Comments, at the bottom of this post and follow the instructions to post your comment).

One name will be selected at random from the comments posted.  Check back on this page for the winner's name. You will have to contact me with your mailing address, otherwise I have no way of contacting you directly. The book giveaway ends on Wednesday, Dec. 19, so be sure to leave your comment.