New book - Plants for Summer-Dry Climates

**S* H* <s*@saxonholt.com>**

Listmates -

Many of you know I started planning this book nearly 3 years ago.  Some of
you even know it is now out - but hard to find.  More on how to get it will
follow the announcement:

"Plants and Landscapes for Summer-Dry Climates" weighs four pounds
(softcover), has 530 photos (all mine), and is 336 pages.  The book is truly
beautiful, designed by Beth Hansen-Winter, and is quickly becoming a must
have book in our area.

It was published by East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) which is the
largest water district in the San Francisco Bay area.  In order to provide
water to a growing region it must find water.  It finds water by urging
conservation and has determined that public outreach pays off in reduced
landscape water use.

The book is directly targeted to the SF Bay area though all Mediterranean
climates will find it extraordinarily useful.  I would like to think all
garden writers will want it as reference.  Have any of you ever heard of
Calothamnus villosus ?  Many garden book enthusiasts are armchair travelers
and love visiting gardens in exotic locales.  Tropical plants ? Persian
gardens ?

Anyway, the book will sell itself if we can just get it out there.  The
EBMUD folks are promoting it locally and kept the price down so that local
rate payers would buy it, but it was never intended to be sold nationally.
It should be.  I feel passionately about this because it is important to
broaden our expectations when it comes to garden aesthetics.  Our garden
publishing is dominated by Eastern and English style.  Nothing wrong with
that it that is where you garden, but millions of people live in semi-arid
regions and should not be trying to mimic a style that depends on summer
rain.

I have no royalty agreement on this book, so I am not promoting it for
financial gain, though a little recognition can never hurt business.  But I
really want garden writers to use this book.  We all want to feel we are
contributing to a greater body of knowledge and this book will really help
many gardeners.

So, "How do I get one?" - I hear a chorus of demand.  There are no discount
sources because there is so little mark-up on the $34.95 price.  You can
order directly from EBMUD (www.ebmud.com) with no shipping charge, or get an
autographed copy from me (!) for $39.95
(http://www.saxonholt.com/californiaplants.html) shipped by mail.

The publisher does have some review copies for writers who are likely to
review the book.  In order to be considered contact Gretchen Grover
ggrover@ebmud.com and list published credits.

Just today I found out EBMUD has set up bulk distribution through Small
Press Distribution (spdbooks.org).  Anyone with a bookstore or giftshop can
order at 40% off, returnable by calling 800-869-7553 and set up an account.

So that is the news.  I now wish I had planned to go to New York this year
to show this book off at the symposium...

cheers - Saxon Holt

Saxon Holt Photography
Gardens and Ornamental Horticulture
415-898-8880
http://www.saxonholt.com 

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