Dry Gardens: High Style for Low Water Gardens by Daniel Nolan ; photography by Caitlin Atkinson
foreword by Flora Grubb
Who knew dry could look so lush? San
Francisco landscape designer Daniel Nolan presents 25 examples of drought-tolerant
gardens of his and others’ designs with richly saturated photos by Caitlin
Atkinson. Of the 18 projects in the “West” section covering California and
Arizona, half are in SoCal, including a beautiful Bel Air estate by SAH/SCC
Life Member Lisa Gimmy, ASLA. “South” looks at Florida, Louisiana, South
Carolina, and Texas. Captions very helpfully mention specific species so
readers know what to look for when considering their own gardens. Even though
the focus is landscape, the architecture is front and center, as any good
project integrates both elements. Unfortunately, architects are rarely acknowledged,
mostly when they also designed the landscape. Unusual and welcome in this type
of book is the addition of commercial projects, including wineries, a public
park, a high-fashion boutique, and even a planned residential community. Two
final small sections look at interior applications and container gardens.
Rizzoli New York; 2018; 224 pages;
hardcover; $55.
