American Roots: Lessons and Inspiration from the Designers Reimagining Our Home Gardens

Nick and Allison McCullough, owners of a landscaping firm, and journalist Woodard offer a stunning tour of standout American gardens. Gardens in the U.S. can be more than the average “cookie-cutter suburban landscapes, perfectly mown lawns, annual-lined walkways, and white picket fences,” Nick McCullough writes; at their best, they’re full of “new plant trials, experimental techniques, and fresh design concepts.” A section on the Midwest spotlights a Nebraska prairie garden with goldenrod and native grasses, and an Indianapolis oasis hosting container plants and nostalgic flowers. The East Coast venues visited include an upstate New York garden with paw paw, persimmon, serviceberry, and mulberry, while a garden in Delaware touts a mix of needle and sago palms. In the South, a stunning Georgia garden features magnolias, hydrangeas, and boxwoods, and in the West there’s a Big Sur haven with a gravel garden, flagstone path, and tough perennials such as catmint, lavender, lamb’s ear, yarrow, and other natives. The glorious full-page color photos bring the gardens to life, and a robust directory of plant shops, garden events, and gardening organizations will help readers who are ready to get in the dirt. The result is an inspiring outing for experienced and armchair gardeners alike. (Oct.)