Re: New Books, recommendations

As long as we are all recommending new books, another
book which I came across while wandering around this
year's San Francisco Flower and Garden Show was a very
good book on New Zealand Native Plants, by Yvonne Cave
and Valda Paddison, published by Random House New
Zealand, ISBN 1 86962 043 7.  This encyclopedia book
is of excellent
quality, and with many photos of gardens and plants
that make me want to see more, more, more.

The book makes it obvious that New Zealand's flora
can't be beat for unusual foliage color and texture,
and we have only the tip of the iceberg of New Zealand
 plants available in the trade here in California. 
(There are probably more species being used in
Oregon/Washington/British Columbia than here)  This
may be due to the fact that many prefer much more
water than we get, but shouldn't stop us from trying
more, as so many appear to have an unsuspected degree
of drought tolerance in our cooler mediterannean
climate.

I will also second the recommendation for Peter
Thompson's book, The Looking Glass Garden.  The Timber
Press book seller at the Cow Palace didn't have copies
of this available yet, but I hope to get my copy
within the month!  It is a bit telling for my lack of
enthusiasm for this year's Flower Show that I spent
more time looking at books than the display gardens...
 One vendor in particular which did really catch my
attention was the contractor specializing in fake rock
formations, John Lamos of Replica Rock Formations,
Inc. in Petaluma.  If anyone else is interested, his
web site is www.replicarockformations.com.  I am
hoping to get some of his work into some of my future
designs, as they are fantastic recreations from molds
of real rock, and the coloring is quite good as well.

I thought that the vendors, and in particular the
Bonsai Exhibit were one of the best things at this
year's show, as the display gardens were on the whole
underwhelming.  Lots of individual interesting plants
or design elements, but few gardens which really held
together design wise.  We seem to have lost that
cutting edge design reputation which the old Fort
Mason location engendered, also partly due to change
of ownership of the show, no doubt.  After having seen
the Chelsea Flower Show for the first time while in
London last spring, our show in San Francisco is
distinctly less impressive on many levels, but also
much easier to negotiate for crowding; people
complaining about crowds here ought to experience
Chelsea!

--- Tim Longville <tim@eddy.u-net.com> wrote:
> As well as the new Timber book by Peter Thompson,
> which Bill
> mentioned, there's also a new Timber book by Jim
> Jermyn, the eminent
> British nurseryman and plant-collector, called The
> Himalayan Garden.
> It isn't out here yet (publication scheduled for
> May, I think) but my
> copy is already ordered! For those of us gardening
> in areas rather
> moister and cooler than is 'typically
> Mediterranean,' it should have
> much to offer.
> Tim Longville
> 





__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. 
http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index