Do you look at natural plant communities as design models for your garden?\u00a0 These are a neglected source of inspiration, according to co-authors Kevin Philip Williams and Michael Guidi.\u00a0 In their new book, \u201cShrouded in Light: Naturalistic Planting inspired by Wild Shrublands,\u201d they encourage you to consider the value of smaller, woody plants that anchor many different landscapes around the world.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/depts.washington.edu\/hortlib\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/1739903951.01.MZZZZZZZ.jpg\")
This is not your typical gardening book.\u00a0 There is little specific guidance on how to select, plant, and maintain shrubs.\u00a0 Instead, the authors want you to understand the aesthetic and ecological dynamics of wild landscapes prominently featuring shrubs.\u00a0 Taking this a step further, they encourage embracing these plant communities in an almost spiritual sense.\u00a0 \u201cLet\u2019s bring shrubby chaos into the garden and be shrouded in its light.\u201d<\/p>\n
The heart of the book is a global expedition to see different ecosystems in which shrubs thrive.\u00a0 These vary from very dry to very wet, from coastal to alpine, and are distinct from grasslands, meadows, and forests.\u00a0 The authors use many tools in their presentation.\u00a0 This includes contrasting two images of the same landscape, one marked up to show patterns of colors and texture.<\/p>\n
Throughout is the pervasive question: What is a garden?\u00a0 To explore this topic are several examples of gardens that have been designed keeping the wild aesthetics in mind.\u00a0 Many are in the western United States as both authors are on the staff of the Denver Botanic Gardens.<\/p>\n
A regional example is found in Bend, Oregon where the shrub-steppe flora of the area provide the components and form for a green roof.\u00a0 But the color scheme is much broader than just green.\u00a0 \u201cThe densely planted vegetation celebrates the tawny hues of spent inflorescences and silver sheen of tomentose foliage that typify shrubs in this semi-arid region.\u201d<\/p>\n
There is a certain amount of visual levity.\u00a0 Local readers will recognize something akin to Plant Amnesty\u2019s examples of horrific pruning.\u00a0 Abstract paintings, spectacular panoramas, and closeup patterns are other ways to expand the perceptions of readers. Overall, this book \u201cis an invitation for you to design, work, live, and play with shrubs.\u201d<\/p>\n
Reviewed by: Brian Thompson on November 7, 2024<\/p>\n
Published in Garden Notes: Northwest Horticultural Society<\/em>, Winter 2025<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Do you look at natural plant communities as design models for your garden?\u00a0 These are a neglected source of inspiration, according to co-authors Kevin Philip Williams and Michael Guidi.\u00a0 In their new book, \u201cShrouded in Light: Naturalistic Planting inspired by Wild Shrublands,\u201d they encourage you to consider the value of smaller, woody plants that anchor many different landscapes around the world. This is not your typical gardening book.\u00a0 There is little specific guidance on how to select, plant, and maintain…<\/p>\n