I've just received a remarkable book from a recent visitor who manages an NGO program for women in Afghanistan. It is "War Gardens: A journey through conflict in search of calm," by Lalage Snow (London: Quercus, 2018). Snow, a photojournalist working in conflict areas, tells the stories of gardeners in Ukraine, Gaza, Israel, the West Bank/Occupied Territories, and Afghanistan. It is hard to read for weeping, yet it also lifts the spirit. Many of us know how much good gardening and observing plants does to allay personal distress or pain. These stories extend that understanding to parts of the world that many of us will never experience directly. Through charities I support and plant-hunting trips, I've been able to visit sites of present and recent conflicts, including Iraqi Kurdistan, eastern Turkey, the former Yugoslavia, Albania, and the northern Caucasus, and to hear local people talk about their lives and present struggles. People turn their thoughts to the natural world everywhere on earth, and a deep interest in plants and admiration of flowers is pervasive. It is human. We can reach out past the barriers of oceans and politics to share it. And we can help people who maintain their gardens and wild flowers in the face of war, and their families. We can support the International Rescue Committee, Women for Women International, Doctors without Borders, Mercy Corps, and other NGOs, and we can urge our government to give more support to UN programs. Likely you already do: the love of living things runs deep. Jane McGary,Portland, Oregon, USA _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net https://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/… Unsubscribe: <mailto:pbs-unsubscribe@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> PBS Forum https://…