Reviewer Allan Becker: Allan has been designing and planting flower gardens, since he was a teenager in the 1960's. Now retired from the soft goods industry, where he held several positions in design, product development, and marketing, he has turned his passion for gardening into a second career, as a garden designer for private clients in Montreal, Canada.
In spring and summer, he provides his assistants, most college students, who transform his designs into flower gardens. In winter, he reviews books on garden-related topics for Bookpleasures.com and writes a Gardening Blog.
Allan earned a B.A. from McGill University, followed by two years of studies in design at Sir George Williams University (now Concordia). He lives in the Montreal suburb of Cote St. Luc, Quebec with his wife and travels regularly to Toronto and Boston to visit his children and grandchildren.
Author: Sara L. Chapman
Publisher: Book
Publishers Network
ISBN: 13: 978-1-935359-80-7
Click Here To Purchase Flowers of Volunteer Park Conservatory: Blooming Month by Month
Author: Sara L. Chapman
Publisher: Book
Publishers Network
ISBN: 13 978-1-935359-80-7
I belong to a community of over 3,000 garden writers where members are encouraged to evaluate each other’s work, by assigning votes to pleasing blog posts. The number of visitors each receives also determines a member’s popularity. Ever since the creation of this garden community, almost four years ago, the most popular blogs, have been those offering spectacular photographs of flowers. Every day, talented photobloggers enchant their followers with close-ups of plants, otherwise impossible to appreciate with the naked eye.
When I first glanced at the first few pages of Ms. Chapman’s book, I realized that she, too, understands the power of the flower close up; immediately, I was blown away by her work. This visually entertaining book is a photographic phenomenon. – vivid colorful close-ups of flowers and plants, each page more beautiful than the next, and each featuring a plant at its zenith.
A hidden gem of Seattle, Washington’s park system, Volunteer Park Conservatory is one of the last Victorian glass conservatories in the U.S. This historic venue is comprised of five houses: the Palm House displaying an incredible orchid collection; the Seasonal house with an ever-changing show of flowers in spring, summer, autumn, and winter; the Cactus House containing intriguing cacti, succulents, and flowers, the Fern House with tropical and carnivorous plants; and the Bromeliad House home to pineapple plants, air plants, and other exotic flowers.
The intention of the author has been to create a miniature coffee table book to share her personal view of the flowers as they change throughout the year. This work, based upon twelve monthly visits, showcases at their peak, magnificent, rare flowers and extraordinary foliage gathered from around the world.
Throughout the year, each of the houses is in a continuous state of flux, as extraordinary specimens are put on display when they come into bloom or bear unusual fruit. The conservatory is known also for its signature blend of perfect horticultural techniques with world- class, creative plant combinations. Inserted skillfully between the showpiece plants are complimentary foliage to enhance and create a seamless display. The result is a year-round, fluid, horticultural journey through five diverse bioregions. Ms. Chapman has artfully captured it all with this publication.
This reviewer cannot emphasize enough the intense pleasure conveyed by each group of seasonal pages. The images are so powerful, that admiring more than a few at a time might be overwhelming. Like a fine brandy, the contents of this photographic essay should be sipped slowly - a little bit at a time. The quality of the illustrations is so great that a reader can feel the healing beauty of the plants simply by admiring their photographs.