Under Western Skies - by Jennifer Jewell (Hardcover)

About the Book

This photo-driven book explores how the rugged landscape of the American West deeply influences the way people garden. It profiles 35 of the most groundbreaking gardens in the region.

Book Synopsis

"Both poetic and practical and celebrates the diversity of garden design throughout the West." --Sunset

From windswept deserts to misty seaside hills and verdant valleys, the natural landscapes of the American West offer an astounding variety of climates for gardens. Under Western Skies reveals thirty-six of the most innovative designs--all embracing and celebrating the very soul of the land on which they grow. For the gardeners featured here, nature is the ultimate inspiration rather than something to be dominated, and Under Western Skies shows the strong connection each garden has with its place. Packed with Atkinson's stunning photographs and illuminated by Jewell's deep interest in the relationships between people and the spaces they inhabit, Under Western Skies offers page after page of encouraging ingenuity and inventive design for passionate gardeners who call the West home.

Review Quotes

"This coffee table book is a beautifully photographed, thoughtful examination of gardens, told within a structure of place -- both past and present -- people and plants."--The Seattle Times

"How lucky we are to have Atkinson and Jewell as our guides on this world-class garden tour of the North American West. They offer a rich portrait of this varied landscape, the transformative gardens inspired by it, and the pure joy to be found in the natural world." --Melissa Ozawa, features editor, Martha Stewart Living

"Pitch perfect, Under Western Skies notes the value of ecology and art in gardens both private and public." --Christin Geall, florist and photographer, author ofCultivated: Elements of Floral Style

"A beautiful homage to the light and majesty of barely tamed wildness and an intimate portrait of people planting their spaces in collaboration with place." --Lorene Edwards Forkner, speaker, writer, and Seattle Times columnist

"Atkinson and Jewell invite each of us to reimagine one's connection to the land while cultivating nature close to home. A must-read for anyone searching for inspired solutions for designing or refining a garden." --Emily Murphy, author of Grow What You Love and founder of Pass the Pistil

"A vibrant tour of three dozen gardens. Each entry surveys the locale, the plants, and the gardener behind it...along the way, Jewell pays tribute to the Indigenous homelands upon which these gardens grow...Rich photographs complement Jewell's lyrical musings. Gardeners are in for a treat." --Publishers Weekly

"One of the most inspiring compendiums of exquisitely landscaped gardens we've come across in years. Written by Jennifer Jewell and photographed by Caitlin Atkinson, the book is both poetic and practical and celebrates the diversity of garden design throughout the West." --Sunset

"An extraordinary new book." --Gardenista

"Under Western Skies will delight any gardener who enjoys seeing how others respond to challenges to create transcendent gardens rooted in place." --Digging

About the Author

Caitlin Atkinson is a photographer of places, spaces, and all things botanical. She was the photographer for the books Dry Gardens: High Style for Low Water Gardens and Designing with Palms, among others. Her photographs have appeared in Elle Decor, Dwell, Martha Stewart Living, and Architectural Digest. When not photographing gardens, you can find her digging in her own patch of dirt. See more of her work on Instagram @caitlinatkinson_photography or at www.caitlinatkinson.com.

Jennifer Jewell is a gardener, garden writer, and gardening educator and advocate. Since 2016, she has written and hosted the national award-winning, weekly public radio program and podcast, Cultivating Place, a coproduction of North State Public Radio in Chico, California. Jennifer's work has appeared in Gardens Illustrated, House & Garden, Natural Home, Old House Journal, Colorado Homes & Lifestyles, and Pacific Horticulture.