Promotional Information

The highly visual guide shows home gardeners how to build a framework of attractive, long lasting foliage and then layer in flowers, berries, bark, and garden art for seasonal highlights.

About the Author

Karen Chapman is an award-winning landscape designer, the co-author of two books, Fine Foliage (St. Lynn's Press, 2013) and Gardening with Foliage First (Timber Press, 2017), and a popular speaker at botanical gardens, nurseries, and flower and garden shows across the United States. Her articles and designs have been featured in many online and print publications, including Garden Design, Fine Gardening, and Better Homes and Gardens. Visit her at lejardinetdesigns.com.
Christina Salwitz is a horticulturist with a passion for the use of color in design. Her Seattle-area business, The Personal Garden Coach, helps gardeners of all skill levels to achieve their gardening dreams with flair and originality. Christina's containers and writing have been featured in many publications including Better Homes & Gardens and Fine Gardening, and she is a regular speaker at garden clubs, horticultural shows, botanic gardens, and nurseries all over North America. She tests her crazy design ideas in her Renton, Washington, garden, determined to perfect the art of "cramscaping" as many luscious plants as possible into a small suburban lot. Her blog is personalgardencoach.wordpress.com.

Reviews

"A successful planting combination is as much about beautiful foliage as it is about flowers--that's the premise of the upcoming book Gardening with Foliage First." --Sunset "This is a useful resource for new gardeners testing their design teeth and for experienced horticulturalists looking for some new inspiration. Regardless of the reader's experience and expertise, the recipe format is charming and engaging. . . . If you haven't designed a "foliage first" garden before, Chapman and Salwitz have design recipes in hand, and a willingness to help and inspire you." --NYBG's Plant Talk "A rainbow of opportunity in pot of gold at the library." --The Daily Telegram "This collection of 127 combinations introduces gardeners to the idea that a well-planned garden starts with a solid framework of foliage. . . . each plant combo includes design descriptions that will equip readers with the knowledge they need to get creative and devise their own." --Garden Design Magazine "Beautiful and plentiful photos show you exactly how the plants work together, and of course provide inspiration to try other combinations on your own. . . . this a book that no designer should be without." --Garden Design Online "This book belongs in every gardener's library and is suitable for a wide variety of readers; it is beautiful, informative, and highly motivational." --Choice "Whether you have 20 acres or a modest patio arrayed with large containers, you're bound to find exciting new design possibilities." --The American Gardener "There are two major reasons why I buy gardening books: I want to expand my knowledge, and I want to be inspired. The best books combine both aspects. Timber Press found a way to cut through the noise with a new book to be published later in January: Gardening with Foliage First by Karen Chapman and Christina Salwitz." --Succulents and More "If ever there were a recipe book for a huge array of plant ingredients, this is it." --Petal Talk Blog "This lushly photographed encore is even more useful as the authors teach us how to see the color and texture in foliage shapes and tones and combine vegetative plant material to compose beautiful combinations." --The Daily News "This collection of 127 combinations introduces gardeners to the idea that a well-planned garden starts with a solid framework of foliage. Organized by season with options for sunny and shady locations, each plant combo includes design descriptions that will equip readers with the knowledge they need to get creative and devise their own." --Garden Design "With 127 inspired plant combos, designers and authors Karen Chapman and Christina Salwitz make a convincing case for greenery over flowers in Gardening with Foliage First." --San Diego Home and Garden