This photo-driven book explores how the rugged landscape of the American West deeply influences the way people garden. It profiles 35 of the most groundbreaking gardens in the region. From desert perch to seaside oasis, gardens in the American West are on the frontier of garden design. Under Western Skies proves this, with profiles of 35 of the West's most innovative gardens - places that truly capture the wild spirit of the region. Under Western Skies reveals how the grandeur and rugged beauty of the region's landscapes set the stage for stunning and innovative design, while the various climates allow for a multitude of plant possibilities. Nature is a source of inspiration to the gardeners in this book, rather than something to be dominated, and Under Western Skies shows the deep connection that each gardener has to the place they garden. Packed with Atkinson's stunning photographs and laced with Jewell's deep interest in the relationships between people and the landscapes they inhabit, Under Western Skies is a must-have for passionate gardeners who call the wild West home. AUTHORS: Jennifer Jewell is a gardener, garden writer, and gardening educator and advocate. Since 2016, she has written and hosted the national award-winning, weekly public radio program and podcast, Cultivating Place, a coproduction of North State Public Radio in Chico, California. Particularly interested in the intersections between gardens, the native plant environments around them, and human culture, she is the daughter of a garden- and floral-designing mother and a wildlife biologist father. Jennifer has been writing about gardening professionally since 1998, and her work has appeared in Gardens Illustrated, House & Garden, Natural Home, Old House Journal, Colorado Homes & Lifestyles, and Pacific Horticulture. Caitlin Atkinson is an accomplished freelance photographer and stylist, capturing and creating gardens, interiors, and still life. Her photography has appeared in Martha Stewart Living, Elle Decor, Dwell, Garden Design Magazine, and Sunset magazine. She splits her time between the Bay Area and the Sierra Nevada Foothills of California. 300 colour photographs
Under Western Skies is a gorgeously photographed and inspirational coffee table book full of notable gardens in the western part of North America (mostly the USA, but some content from over the border in Canada). Released 11th May 2021 by Simon & Schuster on their Tiller Press imprint, it's 412 pages and is available in hardcover format.
This is a beautifully made and well laid out homage to the horticultural arts. The entries are lavishly illustrated, with many full page color photos. They represent a number of styles and aesthetics - mostly (but not all) on the grand scale. Nevertheless, there are a multitude of good inspirations for scaling down to use in our own domestic gardens. Each of the entries includes specific information about location, elevation, and place. The text entries also include short biographies about the originators/designers of each garden space. The geographic locations cover, refreshingly, a broader variety than many "western" horticultural books which are very California-centric.
The appendices include links and resources lists for the design companies and public gardens. There is also a good cross-referenced index with standard botanical nomenclature alongside some common names, making information easy to find quickly. Five stars. This would make a superlative selection for gardening aficionados, a special gift, students, designers/horticulturists, library use, or as a beautiful coffee-table book to enjoy and revisit. This one has high "re-readability".
Disclosure: I received an eARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
