Gardening in Summer-Dry Climates: Plants for a Lush, Water-Conscious Landscapes

(Paperback)

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Description

The definitive plant guide for gardeners who want a lush, colourful garden that will thrive in a summer-dry climate. Gardening in Summer Dry Climates is the definitive guide for gardeners who want a lush, colourful garden that will thrive in a summer-dry climate - an area defined by wet winters and dry summers. This hardworking book teaches gardeners how plants adapt to the climate and how to design for summer drought and winter wet. Information includes details about topography and climate, advice for gardening in the age of wildfire, and suggestions for embracing wildness and change. An A-to-Z of plants includes a colour photograph, details on each plant's origin, water and drainage needs, and notes on sun and shade. Lists of plants for special places and conditions are especially valuable for trips to the garden centre. AUTHOR: Nora Harlow is a landscape architect and gardener with wide-ranging experience in the summer-dry climates of California. She was assistant editor of Pacific Horticulture magazine for many years and supervisor of water conservation for the East Bay Municipal Utility District in Oakland, where she designed low-water landscapes for District facilities. She is the author of Plants and Landscapes for Summer-Dry Climates of the Bay Area, co-editor of The Pacific Horticulture Book of Western Gardening, and co-editor of Wild Lilies, Irises, and Grasses. 407 colour photographs

Reviews

"The authors' gentle plea to welcome a little wildness into our gardens is a timely and powerful message for all gardeners and landscape designers. Make room on your shelf for this beautiful new book."--Carol Bornstein, director of the Nature Gardens, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County

"An outstanding and beautiful contribution to horticultural literature on summer-dry gardening along the West Coast and beyond."--Bart O'Brien, director, Regional Parks Botanic Garden

"With stunning images and insightful text, Harlow and Holt ask us to embrace and celebrate our dry season with grace."--David Fross, owner, Native Sons Wholesale Nursery

"The authors' clearly written text and Holt's detailed and stunning photographs combine to create an informative guide for gardeners who hope to cultivate a lush landscape that minimizes their footprint on Garden Earth." --The Oregonian

"A highly valuable guide to plants and planting design that would be useful in many regions of the country." --Landscape Architecture

"An authoritative guide to planting and maintaining mostly native gardens that use minimal water, expand biodiversity, and delight the eye. A welcome addition to the canon of mindful gardening." --Sunset

"From shrubs and flowers to succulents, grasses, and herbs, this book packs in all the recommended hardy plants a gardener could want. This makes it a snap to not just choose the best plant, but incorporate it into the right landscape choices." --Donovan's Bookshelf

"A solid plant guide, beautifully highlighted by Holt's stunning photographs... a must-have book for your collection." --The Designer

"A beautiful book that's much more than a directory of drought-tolerant plants. It's one that can help build a beautiful, largely self-sustaining space that suits its spot on the planet in both looks and needs." --Horticulture

"This source of excellent information is for everyone who wants a drought-tolerant garden." --The Napa Valley Register

"Fascinating chapters on the circumstances that create these unpredictable climates." --The Oregonian

Author Bio

Nora Harlow is a landscape architect and gardener with wide-ranging experience in the summer-dry climates of California. She was assistant editor of Pacific Horticulture magazine for many years and supervisor of water conservation for the East Bay Municipal Utility District in Oakland, where she designed low-water landscapes for District facilities. She is the author of Plants and Landscapes for Summer-Dry Climates of the Bay Area, co-editor of The Pacific Horticulture Book of Western Gardening, and co-editor of Wild Lilies, Irises, and Grasses.
Saxon Holt is a photojournalist who has spent more than 40 years exploring Kingdom Plantae and the fundamental importance of plants to the health of the planet. A lifelong gardener, he abandoned commercial photography when he discovered garden publishers and could no longer stay in a studio. His work has been featured in diverse publications, from Architectural Digest and Pacific Horticulture magazine, to Smithsonian and Money magazines.