Author: Kaye Heafey and Ron Morgan, photographs by Keith Lewis

Publisher: Half Full Press

ISBN-10: 0-97195552-6-3

This beautiful coffee table book by Kay Heafey and Ron Morgan “tells the story behind the creation of Chalk Hill Clematis – a business in northern California devoted entirely to growing the queen of climbers as a specialty cut flower and as the perfect garden companion plant.”

With anywhere from one to three pages per chapter devoted to the conceptualization of this business and interesting quirks about clematis and a short bio page, the rest of this 183 page book is devoted to the lush photographs and illustrations of this beautiful plant and the farm of Chalk Hill. 

Prior to this book, I was just a casual admirer of clematis. I admired the beauty within their simplistic form and how lush they could be in their growth without the excessive babying that a lot of the more exotic flowers require. I never realize how many forms it has, from the classical six leaf bloom to those with elegant points or ruffles that could give the American Beauty rose a run for its money in its classic stated style of elegance.

Not only are we given a peek into the going on at Chalk Hill, we are also given suggestion, ideas, a starting point if you will, of  various ways of arranging displays with a page and a half of tips of care of the cut clematis. The authors were also thoughtful to include information about a new garden at Chalk Hill named for a well know admirer of Clematis – a blueprint and description key of what various types you will be able to find upon a visit as well as some photos for visual color.

As with any reference book worth it’s salt, the reader is also provided with a brief description of the various types – name, color,  size, and when it flowers – planting instructions to help make success much more attainable, which ones make the best cut flower arrangements, a division by color, container, connoisseur and north facing areas if growth.

I would highly recommend this book to any gardener in your life. From the way it is written, no matter how green, or black, you thumb might be, I think some level of achievable success would be had in growing this exotically simple flower in your own patch of garden.

The above review was contributed by: Jennifer Murray Somerset: Jennifer is a BFA in Graphic Design, and BS Legal Assistant Studies:    Click Here To Read Jennifer's  Reviews