Enchanted Garden Cross-Stitch: 20 Designs Celebrating Birds, Blossoms, and the Beauty in Our Own Backyards

“My dearest wish is that in stitching these projects, you will find some garden peace and serenity growing in your heart,” writes cross-stitch designer Bussi (Inspired Cross-Stitch) in this whimsical offering. An illustrated guide explains the basic techniques—full cross-stitches, half cross-stitches, backstitches, and petite stitches­—required to make these garden-themed projects. Several designs are inspired by classic literature, such as the wall hanging featuring a quote from Frances Hodgson Burnett’s The Secret Garden above a country landscape with birds and flowers, as well as the “Love Is the Honey” sampler that includes a Victor Hugo quote alongside a beehive and bees. The pieces have a cozy, cottagecore feel, especially the “Heart of a Rose” pillowcase bearing an arched trellis decorated with roses, and the “Tea in My Garden” wall hanging depicting a teapot, teacup, and cake bordered by vines. The easy-to-follow charts and straightforward color keys ensure the projects are, as Bussi promises, “relatively simple and quick to stitch,” and the supplementary recipes for carrot cupcake and herb-infused honey are an additional treat. This will please novice stitchers. (July)