March Book Review

Eleven inspired artists of the garden share their stories, their secrets, and their passion for gardening in “Beauty by Design”: “Inspired Gardening in the Pacific Northwest” by Bill Terry and Rosemary Bates. Reviewed by Vicki.

The book was a really good read for me.  It’s not like a reference book per se; it’s just a wonderful book for reading and realizing what others have done in their spaces.  So inspiring!

Highlights of the book for me were:

I loved the garden of Eva Diener which I think is in Robert’s Creek area.  What they’ve done with the wooded parts of the property is spectacular to me because I love all those beautiful little woodland plants that nestle around the bigger trees. I mean that takes years but wouldn’t I love to have that! Although not so formal.

The garden of George Little and David Lewis is quirky and whimsical and so original.  Not a large property but it seems that way from how it is planted and developed.  

And of course the rooftop garden of Glen Patterson is amazing.  Loved Froggy Bottom too.  It’s hard to pick a favourite from the book as they are all so intriguing.  

Ideas I will use in my own garden, an acre in Wildwood which I’ve had for only 41/2 yrs. I have a traditional more manicured area and a wild area with some woods.  So I’m working on the wooded area to try to have it planted with some of those beautiful carpets of naturalizing bulbs and things along with an interspersing of some Japanese maples, dogwoods, a hawthorn. I’d love a grove of vine maples.

flower of vine maple

• Paperback: 216 pages
• Publisher: TouchWood Editions (Sept. 3 2013)