Volume 3, Issue 11
Great book, unfortunate title:
Olivier Filippi's Planting Design for Dry Gardens
reviewed by Brian Thompson

Planting Design for Dry Gardens is an excellent book but unfortunately is poorly titled. Author Olivier Filippi lives in the south of France and the original French title, Alternatives au gazon, or “alternatives to lawn” more accurately describes his work, a very detailed and practical study of the options for replacing resource demanding turf grass.

A translation of a different type, from the parameters of Filippi’s classic Mediterranean climate to our more modified version, will take some work on the reader’s part. I found the effort worthwhile, as it exposed me as a gardener to ideas not typically found in a Pacific Northwest oriented garden book.

For example, Filippi does not recommend using a drip irrigation system for a dry garden of groundcover plants. Instead he advocates hand watering, using temporary basins created around the new plantings, so that plants will more likely to survive without supplemental watering once established. Many other general gardening topics, from planting to attract beneficial insects to concerns about invasive plants, are addressed from a refreshingly distinctive, continental European perspective.

Molly Hashimoto exhibit opens November 3 

We are very excited to have the opportunity to showcase new work from local artist Molly Hashimoto this November and December. Paintings and prints will be included, featuring flowers, birds, and landscapes highlighting the seasonal joys of living in the Pacific Northwest.

The artist invites you to an opening reception this Thursday, November 3, from 5 to 7 pm.

Parent/Teacher Resource Collection field guides
a hidden gem report by Laura Blumhagen

Our children's corner looks out over the Union Bay Natural Area, where birders and other naturalists flock to observe wildlife, from dragonflies to bald eagles. Did you know, though, that you can find a wide array of plant and animal identification guides tucked under the bench seating there? Borrow one of these field guides before your next nature walk (urban or otherwise) to help you recognize the diversity of life all around us.

At left, Plants of the West Coast Trail from the well-illustrated Raincoast Pocket Guides series.

New to the Library