Gardening in the Pacific Northwest

NOTE: The copy I read was called "Gardening in the Pacific Northwest".

Chock full of detailed information, this is a great book for gardeners living in the Pacific Northwest. The first sections are information on climate, soil, etc and is broken down by region. Next is a large guide of plants (perennials, shrubs, vines, and trees) which grow well in the Pacific Northwest. There is a ton of information for each listing, including best conditions to grow (weather, best region, etc).

If you are interested in started or maintaining a garden in the PNW, this is a great guide to pick up.

**I received this copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

An excellent reference for any gardeners in the Pacific Northwest. The first part of the book is about understanding the climate differences in the PNW, and how one area just a few miles away from another can have a radically different climate. It provides a much more in-depth explanation that I have found anywhere else. The book then dives into soil types in the PNW, how they differ, and how to use what you have effectively.
The next section is about plant diseases and bugs in the area.
Followed by a very, very extensive discussion of the plants that you can grow in the PNW, and where they do the best.
And finally, a section on design tips for you own garden.
The book is very thorough, easy to read, and easily understandable. The photography is awesome! You could buy this book just for the photos, and would not be disappointed.
I have already put into effect several of the ideas from this book in my own garden outside of Seattle. And will be referring to it for many years.

As a resident of the Pacific Northwest, Gardening can be a bit of a crapshoot unless you know what you’re doing – our climate is mild, but changeable, sometimes it’s too wet, sometimes it’s too dry, sometimes it’s too hot, sometimes you get seven inches of snow and you’re stuck at home for a week. And, as this book says, you can’t be successful at gardening in the PNW unless you’re prepared to get into the down and dirty aspects of growing plants here. Personally, I love digging in the dirt to make my garden look awesome, so I found this book extremely helpful. If you’re new to the PNW or if you’re a beginner gardener in the area, then you definitely want to peruse this book. It’s full of all sorts of useful information on how to garden in our unique clime.

As a gardener in the Pacific Northwest (and not always successful) I know first hand how tricky the growing season and subclimates can be. Some plants one person 15 miles from my house can find thriving I can only watch wilt and die.
This informative book begins with a section on the subclimates, hardiness zone, localized influences, and even the effects of climate change which is a great start. Beautiful photos, good information, and a large plant guide makes this a book I want on my bookshelf next to my Sunset Western garden book.

Gardening in the Pacific Northwest is the perfect winter pick-me-up. It is released on December 27, just in time for full-on winter in the PNW. I highly recommend purchasing the book and pouring over the ideas and full color photos while you dream of spring. The book is full of beautiful photos and an extensive list of plants, shrubs, trees and vines with full color pictures of each species listed.

I'm never quite sure when I see Pacific Northwest listed if the region actually includes me. Here is how Paul and Amy classify the PNW in their book:

"For the purpose of this guide, the Pacific Northwest includes the geographical regions of Oregon, Washington and southwest British Columbia, on both sides of the Cascade Mountains."

They do a fantastic job of breaking these states into eight subregions. The PNW has very diverse weather and I really like the eight subregions so I could find my specific area and tailor this book to me.

"We'll cover the eight basic subregions in this part of the country and discuss how climate impacts gardeners in each area."

Table of Content:
Know Your Climate
Good Garden Culture
Plant Diseases, Pests and Solutions
Plants: What Thrives Here
Design: Northwest Garden Style

Gardening in the PNW has an extensive list with full color photos of garden design and container planting. So many helpful tips, tricks and ideas! I'm a little bummed this book isn't being released earlier in December as it would have made a fantastic Christmas gift.

I highly recommend Gardening in the Pacific Northwest for new gardeners and gardeners who've been working in this climate for a while. There is something for all gardening levels in this book. The section on plants best suited for the PNW with full color pictures is worth the purchase alone.

As a transplant into the Pacific Northwest from the mid-south, the sub-climates became a harsh lesson in the fastest ways to kill a garden. An often used comment to a friend was "I used to be able to grow (enter plant name here), what am I not doing right?" My problem was not understanding the micro-climates and short-season seeds and plants I have researched prior to digging up my front yard to grow a garden. This book by Paul Bonine would have corrected my ignorance to this unique corner of the United States and the challenges faced when trying to figure out what will thrive and survive in the ground around here. Full Disclosure: I was allowed to read a copy of this book for free as a member of NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased review. The opinions I have expressed are my own and I was not influenced to give a positive review.

Excellent book. I intend to purchase me own copy so I have it as a reference. With the use of this book, I feel comfortable about my landscaping decisions for my home.

Nonfiction
Adult
Time for my annual end-of-the-year garden book! It’s the perfect time to start planning a better garden than ever! And this title is definitely finding a spot on my shelf. Regional expert Paul Bonine takes the lead on this project, offering a nuanced and informed understanding of gardening in the Pacific Northwest. The authors define the PNW area as encompassing Oregon and Washington on both sides of the Cascade Mountains, as well as southwestern British Columbia west of Hope, including the Sunshine Coast, Howe Sound, and Vancouver Island. While interior B.C. is not included, I feel confident in including my area within the huge swath called Eastern Washington and Oregon, east of the Cascades. Those mountains delineate the wet and mild coastal climates from the more extreme and drier climate of the higher elevation area on the eastern edge of the PNW. What we here in B.C. call the Okanagan – more sun, more snow, less rain. Different bugs and soil, with hotter summers and colder winters. But still the PNW. Having moved from the west to the east of the Cascades myself, I’m hyper-aware of these nuances, and really appreciate this close study of gardening zones in the region. I’ve said goodbye to the palms but oh my lilacs are spectacular! The book opens by emphasizing the need for gardeners to have a solid understanding of their climate. Bonine and Campion correctly define as weather over time, and then delve into the eight subclimates of the Pacific Northwest. They note that even within a subclimate there can be extremes, so a plant that thrives in one town might not survive in the next one over. This puts the onus on gardeners to be super-aware of the conditions that influence their own gardens. After that introduction we get into the meat of the book, more than 200 pages of perennials, vines, shrubs and trees for gardeners to consider. There are usually two entries to a page, each with a colour photo, description, and key characteristics such as size, shade/sun need, drought tolerance and hardiness, and suitability for the region’s subzones. I pored through and generated a list of about 50 perennials, vines, and shrubs that are drought-tolerant, some even deer-resistant, and will handle the extreme temperature changes and dry conditions of my subclimate. Some are familiar favourites and others are delightful new discoveries. Campion provides both common and botanical names, including subspecies and varieties when specifically recommended. The book wraps up with a chapter on garden design, including several pages on designing a water-wise garden that is beautiful, colourful, and robust. For patio gardeners, the section on container gardening is much too brief, sadly, though everyone will appreciate the ideas for adding artful touches to any garden. There is space allocated for an index though it was not included in my review copy. I did browse the 30 recommended titles for further study, and appreciate the metric conversion chart. However, I do wish the authors had instead incorporated metric into the text for those of us who prefer meters over feet, or simply don’t understand Fahrenheit very well! (What the hell is 45 degrees?) My thanks to Timber Press for the advance reading copy provided through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
More discussion and reviews of this book: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20609159 .