Book cover image courtesy of Fine Foliage © Fine Foliage St. Lynn's Press 2012-13
Before I talk about the book Fine Foliage, I want to introduce you to Karen Chapman, a good blogging friend, and one of the book's two authors, by way of her garden.
Photo by Karen Chapman © Le Jardinet 2013
Karen sometimes jokes that, when she and her husband bought their modest one storey house on 5 acres of land, the landscape's best feature was a dead tree.
That was back in 2009.
Since that time, they have moved a small cedar cabin on the property, built an arbor, built a fenced vegetable garden and created a beautiful island-shaped flowerbed around the cabin.
Photo by Karen Chapman © Le Jardinet 2013
Photo by Karen Chapman © Le Jardinet 2013
In this closeup, there is a spirea at the very bottom of the picture, orange flowering croscosmia just above it, a paperbark maple on the right, a burgundy colored Barberry in the middle-distance and Feather Reed Grass in the near distance. You can read more about the planting details in this post.
Photo by Karen Chapman © Le Jardinet 2013
When Karen began working on this section of the garden, it was a mosquito infested swamp!
The addition of a stream bed in 2010 gave ground water a way to flow away from the area. Wild grasses and weeds were covered over by layering sheets of cardboard and then a fresh layer Moo-doo was added on top (read all about this interesting process by clicking the link.)
Here is the how the same area looked three years later in April 2013:
Photo by Karen Chapman © Le Jardinet 2013
Photo by Karen Chapman © Le Jardinet 2013
What an amazing transformation, eh?
You can read more about the garden make-over process and about some of the planting details in this post.
Now, on to the book Fine Foliage that Karen wrote with friend and kindred spirit Christina Salwitz.
I think you will find that Fine Foliage is a great little resource book you can dip into quickly and come away feeling inspired.
Though the book offers a designer's perspective on using foliage color, shape and texture to create beautiful planting combinations, the ideas are presented in a very user-friendly way.
Page spread image courtesy of Fine Foliage © Karen Chapman and Christina Salwitz 2013
Image courtesy of Fine Foliage © Karen Chapman and Christina Salwitz 2013
On one side of a page spread, you have a bit of inspiration that is beautifully photographed.
Page image courtesy of Fine Foliage © Karen Chapman and Christina Salwitz 2013
On the other side you have everything you need to know about the planting combination clearly spelled out for you: sun or shade, season, soil, and zone.
Karen and Christina also tell you why the combination works and introduce you to each of the plants involved.
Image courtesy of Fine Foliage © Karen Chapman and Christina Salwitz 2013
The book is conveniently divided into two sections: Sun and Shade. (The image above is one of the nice shade container plantings from the book.)
As well as container plantings, the book also addresses foliage in the garden proper with pretty plant combinations like these ones:
Page spread image courtesy of Fine Foliage © Karen Chapman and Christina Salwitz 2013
Image courtesy of Fine Foliage © Karen Chapman and Christina Salwitz 2013
I think you will find that Fine Foliage is a terrific book that can make getting to "beautiful" as easy as following a simple recipe. Providing an easy roadmap to success helps to build confidence and both authors hope that readers will end up using the book as a springboard to begin to create their own unique foliage combinations.
And at under twenty dollars, Fine Foliage is a bargain!
If you would like to be included a draw for the copy of Fine Foliage, please leave a comment below. I am going to leave the contest open for a full week. Overseas bloggers are welcome to enter. The draw and winning announcement will be made in an upcoming post.
Many thanks to St. Lynn's Press for providing a copy book for this giveaway (I purchased my own copy of the book for the purpose of this review).
Good luck everyone!
To read more reviews of great gardening books, be sure to click this link to Holley's blog: Roses and other Gardening Joys.
More Information and Links:
Author, Karen Chapman:"I am a container and landscape designer, serious plant-aholic, garden writer and public speaker for all things gardening. In other words, I'm ususally covered in a layer or two of soil...I am truly passionate about sharing the joys of gardening." Visit Karen's website and blog here: Le Jardinet
Author, Christina Salwitz: "I am a container designer, garden coach, garden writer, speaker and foliage-aholic who loves to teach and see the light bulb go on when a gardener suddenly "gets it". I adore the entire horticultural industry and revel in helping others feel the same passion that I do about plants". Visit Christina's blog here: The Garden Coach."Fine foliage is a visual treat that will inspire you with dazzling combinations for containers and gardens. Karen Chapman and Christina Salwitz explain why each combination works- bringing artistic design within easy reach of all gardeners. A great user-friendly resource." - Debra Prinzing, author of The 50 Mile Bouquet.
Book Title: Fine Foliage, Elegant Plant Combinations for Garden and Container
Pages: 140
Publisher: St. Lynn's Press
Price on Amazon: Under $15
