I'm just coming out of a six month self-imposed writing hermitage. My desk is a slag heap of articles and books. Several stacks have formed. There is a pile of books awaiting appraisal for the American Horticultural Society book awards (look for a future entry about my favorites), and another stack of books that I am tardy in reviewing. Debra Baldwin's Succulent Container Gardens falls into that second category.
I have to disclose that I've spent some time with Debra and her West Highland terrier strolling around her garden, which makes me want to like this book. Fortunately, there is much to like. She manages to photograph nearly all of the best succulent plant arrangers in California: from Flora Grubb, to Larry Grammer and Arrea Thongthiraj. Plus, she doesn't neglect work of creative intermountain plantsman like Dan Johnson of Denver Botanic Gardens.
It is true that for Arizona gardeners, some of the plants in Succulent Container Gardening are California dreaming--most of those beautiful Aeoniams aren't going to make it here, but she also features many plants that will shine in Arizona gardens. Just look for the usual suspects: agaves, yuccas, cactus; plenty of each are appear in the photos and text.
The well-articulated design tips and examples are more than worth the price of the book. I found myself lusting after a wall of agaves in Holland and a zen-like butter dish-sized pot filled with a tiny sedum. I also admired photos featuring the pottery of Mike Cone, a potter I wrote about for Horticulture Magazine a few years back. In fact, there are many stellar pots to ogle.
The examples Baldwin gives are so inspiring that I literally stopped writing this review after the second paragraph, walked outside and potted up a Echeveria 'Dark Prince' cutting that had been languishing on my potting bench.