Today I am thrilled to be part of an online "blog-party" celebrating the release of The Water-Saving Garden, the new book by Pam Penick.
![]()
A sort of follow-up to the hugely successful Lawn Gone!, The Water-Saving Garden is going to be a valuable resource for anyone interested in gardening with less water. The keyword there is gardening, Pam isn't advocating for spaces where plants are replaced by AstroTurf and gravel (although gravel does make a great mulch or alternative hardscape in a water-saving garden). Rather she explains how we can be surrounded by the natural beauty of plants in our gardens, while still conserving one of nature's most precious resources.
Pam gardens in Austin, Texas. Like many parts of the West the folks in Austin have suffered extended drought. Pam writes from experience, her own — as well as other gardener's — and includes colorful, lush photos to illustrate her points.
So if you don't live in Texas, Arizona, California...this book probably isn't for you, right? Wrong. We all should be gardening in a way that respects our resources. In the part one of the book "Drink Up the beauty & ingenuity of a water-saving garden" seven different gardens are profiled, two of them in Oregon — where it rains all the time — right? Nope, wrong again. Our modified Mediterranean climate means we have long (and seemingly getting longer) dry summers. Why not plant for this reality?
If you're a regular reader of this blog then you already know one of the gardens profiled in this section quite well, the Kuzma Garden. I'm also proud to note there are a few photos from my garden in the book, as well as ones from Scott Weber's garden, Tamera Paulat's garden and JJ De Sousa's garden as well as a few other locals...(sorry my Portland pride is showing!)...
After she tours you through the dazzling gardens at the beginning of the book, Pam then covers how to "make your garden a Water Saver, not a Water Guzzler" with tips on keeping rain water on your property, alternative irrigation ideas, and thoughts on the roles which soil, mulch and shade play in the garden.
Part three "Planting the water-saving garden" explores plant choices including where, how and when to plant. Part four "oasis or mirage? creating the Illusion of water in the garden" covers how to use water (or the illusion of it) for maximum effect in the garden. Finally part five lists 101 plants for planting in water-saving gardens.
For another perspective on Pam's book I invite you to read a review written by Kris, who blogs at Late to the Garden Party. Kris lives in the Los Angeles area and is gardening with a community required 36% reduction of water usage (from 2013 levels, when she'd already started to cut-back). Kris illustrates her book review with personal accounts (and great photos) from her garden. Read it here.
Now for the giveaway! (what's a party without door prizes?) I am delighted to be giving away a Circle Pot from Potted!
You know how much I love my Circle Pots, (I have orange and chartreuse) here's your chance to have one of your own, and get this...the winner gets to choose the color they get! The Circle Pot is a Potted design, and it's perfect for displaying water-thrifty succulents, Bromeliads, Tillandsia, or whatever your heart desires. To be entered to win leave a comment below by midnight on Sunday, March 6th. You MUST include a way for me to get a hold of you if you are the winner. That means if you're not linking to an active blog I need an email address! Winners will be announced on March 7th.
![]()
But that's not all! Six other bloggers are also do giveaways to celebrate The Water-Saving Garden. Click on over to comment on their posts for a chance to win these great prizes:
The fine print: One entry per person for each giveaway. Shipping available within the continental U.S. only (excluding Alaska and Hawaii). Photos and book cover reprinted with permission from The Water-Saving Garden, by Pam Penick, copyright © 2016, published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC. Photographs copyright © 2016 by Pam Penick.
Photos without listed credit are © 2009-2016 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude. I received a complementary review copy of The Water-Saving Garden from the publisher.
A sort of follow-up to the hugely successful Lawn Gone!, The Water-Saving Garden is going to be a valuable resource for anyone interested in gardening with less water. The keyword there is gardening, Pam isn't advocating for spaces where plants are replaced by AstroTurf and gravel (although gravel does make a great mulch or alternative hardscape in a water-saving garden). Rather she explains how we can be surrounded by the natural beauty of plants in our gardens, while still conserving one of nature's most precious resources.
Pam gardens in Austin, Texas. Like many parts of the West the folks in Austin have suffered extended drought. Pam writes from experience, her own — as well as other gardener's — and includes colorful, lush photos to illustrate her points.
 |
| Lakewood Garden, Austin, TX. Photo Credit: Pam Penick |
So if you don't live in Texas, Arizona, California...this book probably isn't for you, right? Wrong. We all should be gardening in a way that respects our resources. In the part one of the book "Drink Up the beauty & ingenuity of a water-saving garden" seven different gardens are profiled, two of them in Oregon — where it rains all the time — right? Nope, wrong again. Our modified Mediterranean climate means we have long (and seemingly getting longer) dry summers. Why not plant for this reality?
If you're a regular reader of this blog then you already know one of the gardens profiled in this section quite well, the Kuzma Garden. I'm also proud to note there are a few photos from my garden in the book, as well as ones from Scott Weber's garden, Tamera Paulat's garden and JJ De Sousa's garden as well as a few other locals...(sorry my Portland pride is showing!)...
 |
| The garden of JJ De Sousa, Portland, OR. Photo Credit: Pam Penick |
After she tours you through the dazzling gardens at the beginning of the book, Pam then covers how to "make your garden a Water Saver, not a Water Guzzler" with tips on keeping rain water on your property, alternative irrigation ideas, and thoughts on the roles which soil, mulch and shade play in the garden.
 |
| Gravel Paving. Photo Credit: Pam Penick |
Part three "Planting the water-saving garden" explores plant choices including where, how and when to plant. Part four "oasis or mirage? creating the Illusion of water in the garden" covers how to use water (or the illusion of it) for maximum effect in the garden. Finally part five lists 101 plants for planting in water-saving gardens.
 |
| Curbing along a residential street in Portland is bumped out to capture run-off. Photo Credit: Pam Penick |
For another perspective on Pam's book I invite you to read a review written by Kris, who blogs at Late to the Garden Party. Kris lives in the Los Angeles area and is gardening with a community required 36% reduction of water usage (from 2013 levels, when she'd already started to cut-back). Kris illustrates her book review with personal accounts (and great photos) from her garden. Read it here.
Now for the giveaway! (what's a party without door prizes?) I am delighted to be giving away a Circle Pot from Potted!
 |
| Circle Pot in Orange. Photo Credit: Potted Inc. |
You know how much I love my Circle Pots, (I have orange and chartreuse) here's your chance to have one of your own, and get this...the winner gets to choose the color they get! The Circle Pot is a Potted design, and it's perfect for displaying water-thrifty succulents, Bromeliads, Tillandsia, or whatever your heart desires. To be entered to win leave a comment below by midnight on Sunday, March 6th. You MUST include a way for me to get a hold of you if you are the winner. That means if you're not linking to an active blog I need an email address! Winners will be announced on March 7th.
But that's not all! Six other bloggers are also do giveaways to celebrate The Water-Saving Garden. Click on over to comment on their posts for a chance to win these great prizes:
- Gail, at Clay and Limestone, is giving away a 55-Gallon Black Rain Barrel from Epoch Rain Barrels
- Pam, at Digging, is giving away a $100 gift certificate from High Country Gardens
- Rebecca, at Gossip in the Garden, is giving away a Live Succulent Planter from Boxhill
- Genevieve, at North Coast Gardening, is giving away 3 bags of 1/8-in. pumice (to 3 winners!) from General Pumice Products
- Dee, at Red Dirt Ramblings, is giving away a 65-Gallon Rainwater Urn from Gardener’s Supply Company
- Shirley, at Rock-Oak-Deer, is giving away a 50-Gallon Rain Barrel and Chesapeake Stand from The Rain Barrel Depot
The fine print: One entry per person for each giveaway. Shipping available within the continental U.S. only (excluding Alaska and Hawaii). Photos and book cover reprinted with permission from The Water-Saving Garden, by Pam Penick, copyright © 2016, published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC. Photographs copyright © 2016 by Pam Penick.
Photos without listed credit are © 2009-2016 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude. I received a complementary review copy of The Water-Saving Garden from the publisher.