Book Review: Succulent Container Gardens
Apparently it’s succulent week here on GS. Don’t miss my review of Sedum ‘Bertram Anderson.’
How thrilling is it when you can see, as a reader, that an author is truly smitten with her subject?
By her own account, Debra Lee Baldwin was born and raised in Southern California, one of the most hospitable-to-succulents places in the United States, and her adoration for that fascinating, fleshy group of plants shines in the pages of this book like Sedum ‘Angelina.’
Unlike some of us, lulled into complacency at the mere thought of SoCal weather, Debra’s not content simply to bask in the Cali sun with her succulents, and this book is a product of that discontent. Fortunately, it turns out Debra’s discontent produces beautiful, useful things.
You see, Debra (@DebraLBaldwin on Twitter) heard from a lot of folks, including yours truly, who adore succulents just as much, but who bemoan (Um… Constantly bemoan) the dearth of succulents we can grow outdoors in our colder climates. Friends, don’t let the sun-drenched Mediterranean photos here fool you: this is Debra’s opus for the rest of us. Succulents and containers were made for each other, and containers can come indoors.
Succulent Container Gardens, from Timber Press, is a remarkably effective book. I’m amazed at the amount of information packed into such a small volume. It’s concise yet comprehensive, equally accessible to amateur and pro. Somehow, amidst all the practical narrative, Debra managed to fit in an exhaustive mini-catalog of succulents, a combo that’s garden writing gold to a plant geek like myself.
What I love most about this book, and what’s key for me in any gardening book, is the photos, many (if not most) by the author herself. Sure, they’re gorgeous and plentiful. But more than that, I love that they do right by succulents as dynamic container plants that excel in virtually every garden style today, from classy to kitsch. Take a gander. All photos used with Debra’s permission.
- Posted by AK on 2010 Mar 05 at 1150
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Heading over to my library website right now to put this one on hold! Thanks for the reminder!
I drooled over this book at the bookstore a few days ago. It’s so pretty!
It is seriously awesome, guys. Buy it or rent it — you will NOT be sorry!
WANT. I need to see if they have it our library. Am still cleaning out the front beds and found a tall, shapely terracotta pot for $12. It cries out, I believe, for succul-ence. (Like opulence, but with plants.)
We love this book, and cannot say enough great thinks about it. I would recommend checking out her lecture tour as she maybe getting close enough to see in person. We are scheduled to hear her at the Ruth Bancroft Garden this month. Matti
@Pamela: I plan on using “succulence” when it’s called for (literally and the word, in speech), and yeah, you gotta find the book! Lots of stuff here you could grow outside, in containers or no.
@Matti: Hey, thanks for your comment! You read my mind, I had already been snooping around DLB’s tour page. She’s going to be in the PA this month, but then headed back West. You’ll enjoy meeting her, though — and I hope you do say hello when you see her lecture — she really does love succulents, and I know from your blog you do to. Magic happens when plant geeks get together!
I had lunch with Debra in Philadelphia yesterday. Her book is great and so is she. A funny thing though…I asked her when we met if she had seen the snow flurries that morning…in true Southern Cal gal fashion she said ‘What snow? I didn’t know what that was coming out of the sky this morning, there weren’t any clouds.’ When she found out it was indeed the white stuff she was more than thrilled. Wonder what she would have thought a week ago with 18″ of it coming down…LOL!
Andrew,
Your review makes me want to rush out and buy this book. Like you, I love the photo of the succulent fountain; what a creative way to showcase plants. Succulents are one group of plants that are sorely lacking in my CT garden but after looking at those gorgeous photos I think I will have to remedy that.
@Debbie: This is one of those run-out-and-buy-it books! That fountain is a prime example of why we really have no great excuse for not growing more succulents as cold-climate gardeners. We could easily replicate the whole thing with hardy succulents and leave it outdoors without a care.
@Susan: What a great story about Debra — I’m so glad she got to see snow, even if she didn’t realize it at first! Yes, it’s probably for the best she wasn’t here for other, more notorious snow events this winter. :-)
Tsk, Susan, I saw what I thought was fine ash falling from a cloudless sky…something we DO have occasionally here in wildfire-prone Southern CA, alas. It’s not like it was snowing like a Currier-and-Ives Christmas and I hadn’t a clue. What I found amusing—in true Southern-CA-gal fashion—is that you all were so thrilled at how WARM it was (50 degrees, brrr).
Anyway, Andrew honey, can I adopt you? I swear, my own son (who is grown, groan) doesn’t know what I do as well as you do. And all those great, quotable lines! I can’t wait to show this to Timber Press.
@Debra: Oh, honestly, it’s so true, the weather up here this weekend was amazing! I’m usually gardening with winter gloves if I’m gardening this time of year. I shall consult my mother about initiating adoption proceedings, but I don’t see why not. I recall you doing a consult for your son, and he was most interested in planting tropicals? I have a soft spot for a few tropicals too, until I have to water them again, and again, and again…
Thanks again for the fantastic photos to go with this review! They were key to the whole thing, I thought.