Before I start a new project, I always turn to my books on California gardens. And this new book, Gardens Are For Living: Design Inspiration for Outdoor Spaces
Kameon started out by designing her own garden, and was soon designing for friends. Her inspiration, she says, came from many sources: Hidcote Manor Garden in England; Lotusland estate in Montecito, CA; Sunset's books and magazines; landscape architects Garrett Eckbo, Thomas Church, James Rose and Dan Kiley.
Kameon's writing style is easy and breezy, and she covers all the bases with practical advice for almost anything you want to know about designing beautiful, successful gardens.
Chapters range from Putting Out the Welcome Mat (Entry Gardens) to Gatherings for Friends and Family, Art in the Landscape, Places for Play, and the Joy of Relaxation. Throughout the book, Kameon offers simple, one-page descriptions of basic design solutions, ie, Getting Started (soil, climate, space planning, etc); Elements of Design (color, texture, scale, form, sound and movement); Create a Calming Environment (comfortable seating, water features, speakers, privacy and shelter); Simple Strategies for an Inviting Space (add a tree, keep it simple, include fragrance, create more privacy).
Beautiful photos throughout the book richly illustrate Kameon's principles, and you'll find yourself, I'm sure, referring to them again and again for inspiration. This book will convince you that your outdoors is just as important as your indoors -- and teach you how to make it look like you hired the best design expert around to decorate your yard.
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