Dibble struggles alone as he battles the forces of nature, including pests, atrocious weather, and Shirl, the garden woman from up the street. From garden shows to garden disasters he experiences what every gardener experiences, but with a decidedly wacky approach. 

His backyard is a horticultural flea market -- if it's green, he'll plant it. There is no aspect of gardening that Dibble doesn't dabble in, even creating a pay-per-view Bart Simpson topiary that turns out to be one of his less successful ventures when fans of Bart beat a path through his flower bed. Yes, whether he's weeding or whining, Dibble's philosophy truly is "to boldly grow where no one has groan before."

Gardening and laughing are two of the best things in life one can do to promote good health and a sense of well-being. Hoe, hoe, hoe and ho ho ho with this refreshing "chuckle-and-learn-book."

Dear Dibble. He’s a bumbling, scrabbling, frantic, and hopelessly passionate gardening fool. If you don’t see yourself in at least one of his days in Diary of a Mad Gardener, then you’re not a true-blue gardener. David Hobson has done it again and produced a book that is ‘laugh out loud funny’. His first book, Soiled Reputations, highlighted the rivalry between Cynthia and Riley. Now Dibble’s diary captures the perennial optimism and the obsessive tendencies of all die-hard gardeners.

Be careful who you loan this book to. I pointed out the October 30th entry to my nine year old and lost this paperback for the next half hour. It was worth the experience to hear him chuckling about Dibble’s adventures.

This book rolls along like a fully loaded wheelbarrow going downhill. The only pictures you’ll find will be those created by your own imagination, but Dibble plants plenty of viable seed for those. 

Diary of a Mad Gardener is a delightful break from ‘instructive’ horticultural books but there are many subliminal tips included. Dibble’s fictional diary underlines the importance of keeping a journal. As he concludes near the end of the year, “Some of the things I’ve done might seem odd, even bizarre but I’m not concerned.” True gardeners will understand.” We understand, Dibble, we really do. 

 Reviewed by Beverley Mitchell

Dibble, the Mad Gardener, is a crazed, obsessed and passionate gardener. His diary is filled with his day to day misadventures similar to what ordinary gardeners experience but on a much crazier level.

This book is definitely not your usual serious how-to gardening book. Dibble bumbles along growing seedlings, visiting a big garden show, constantly fussing about the weather, battling and competing with his neighbour, Shirl. He'll try anything but he's cheap and sneaky and more than a little demented. His philosophy is "to boldly grow where no one has groan before."

His battle with will power is a common one for all gardeners who are drawn to the local nursery for the latest and greatest botanical offerings.

"This is crazy. I'm rapidly running out of planting space, but I keep bringing more and more stuff home. I know my problem is due to a total lack of planning, yet I can't seem to do anything about it. I try, but I get overwhelmed with the number and variety of plants that are available, and now they're piling up on trays on the patio....

I use any excuse. I tell myself that I'm only browsing, or I go with the intention of picking up a couple of things I need to complete a planter, and before I know it I've filled half a flat with annuals. Then, since I'm such an astute consumer and know that a full flat is discounted, I go ahead and fill it, often with things I have sitting at home waiting to be planted." (78)

You'll laugh at him but surely there is a little of Dibble in all of us.

Dibble also offers up lots of gardening tips and information in his hilarious accounts of life in the garden.

Laughter has long been known to help us heal and feel good. Horticultural therapists promote the benefits of gardening, bringing one closer to nature with its soothing, healing effect. The Diary of a Mad Gardener will make you grin, chuckle and guffaw. It will also relax and refresh the most serious of gardeners.