Winter Garden: Create a Garden that Shines Through the Forgotten Season by Val Bourne

From the Publisher

For many gardeners, winter is simply a season to endure while planning for the coming spring. The rich floral splendor they've enjoyed has given way to dull browns and grays tipped by lonely snow-capped branches. But that doesn't have to be: there are so many easy and inexpensive ways to add real winter interest to any garden. Two hundred color photographs show the diverse possibilities, along with site-specific design plans. There are suggestions for selecting and caring for a broad assortment of flowers, grasses, shrubs, and trees that boast dramatic winter flair, plus professional choices for cold-hardy container plants. Smart tips include using colored stones, adding bronze and wood accents, and maximizing the effect of winter light on plants.

Library Journal

In her latest book, gardener, writer, and photographer Bourne shows that winter gardens can be just as beautiful as-and often more beautiful than-spring and summer gardens. For many, winter is a time to prepare for the upcoming spring garden, but with Bourne's help, barren winter gardens can be turned into reflective and fragrant retreats. Arranged into seven chapters, the book begins with trees with textures and lines best suited for winter gardens, e.g., shrubs, smaller trees, and bamboos with colored stems. Chapter 2 is devoted to grasses and flowers that "provide good winter silhouettes" and hold up to frost and ice. Next come plants with lots of leaves to add splashes of color; then hips, haws, and berries for touches of red. Finally, the book covers flowers that bloom in early winter (e.g., Christmas roses and miniature daffodils) as well as midwinter flowers (e.g., witch hazel and daphne). Bourne also provides tips for adding landscape accents such as paving and decking, gravel, slate, sculptures, and containers. Packed with examples, 200 color photographs, and practical advice for choosing the right plants, this book is recommended for larger libraries and those with horticulture collections.-Nicole Mitchell, Birmingham, AL Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

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