My very first Author Review….(and book review, too!)

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This is my very first official ‘Book Review’.  But since there’s already so many wonderful reviews of Debra Lee Baldwin’s Succulent Container Gardens out there, I thought I might do something a little different – review the AUTHOR first, and THEN review  the book.

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I mean, really – who doesn’t want to know all about the person who WROTE the book?  I know I do!

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I was fortunate to meet Debra at a ‘Twitter’ party I threw a few weeks ago, in preparation for the San Franisco Garden Show which opened the following day (that’s Debra facing the camera..and that’s me blabbing on about something).  Debra was one of the guests, and I not only spent several hours with her at my party, but several hours the following few days at the show.  So here are some things I found out….

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1.  She loves small dogs.  My dog Daisy and Debra bonded for life.  Sure, it might be due to the fact that Debra kept sneaking her treats the whole night – but regardless, they’re best friends now.  But should she show up at your party – beware!  I’m not entirely sure it’s beyond her to stuff such a dog into her purse and sneak her home.  It’s only because she flew here that should couldn’t snatch her up – and she thought about it too!  I heard her saying several times things like ‘hmmm…I’m pretty sure I could fit her in the overhead compartment’.  Don’t say you weren’t warned…

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2.  You can’t take Debra anywhere without her seeing things through the lens of a camera (even when the camera is in her mind’s eye).  She’ll be talking to you, then all of a sudden her eyes will shift to the left and you just KNOW she’s seeing something fantastic.  And sure enough, she’ll point out what a great photo ‘such and such’ would make.  This is one of her favorite plant combinations in my own garden that she kept coming back to..even to the point of telling people about it the next day!!

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3.  Debra has a great sense of humor.  Follow her on Twitter @Debrabaldwin or Facebook at Debra Lee Baldwin and you’ll see for yourself!  She had me laughing the entire time I hung out with her.

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. 4.  Debra also has a great eye and is quite often pointing out things that most of us mere mortals wouldn’t necessarily notice.  Like these succulents that were hanging up high in one of the display gardens at the Show.  I would’ve walked right on by, but she made me slow down and see how beautiful they really were. . .

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Okay – enough about Debra…now on to the book review!

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First of all  I’d like everyone to know that I think this has got to be the BEST succulent book I’ve ever read.  And if you know me at all, then you know I LOVE succulents.  And because I love succulents so much, I’ve read a ton of succulent related books over the years.  So trust me when I say this book ROCKS…

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What makes this book better than the others I’ve read?

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1.  Well, for one thing, the photos are TO-DIE-FOR gorgeous.

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2   And on top of that, it’s written in a very clear and simple style, for those who are just discovering the joys of succulents and don’t quite know where to start.  Finally – someone who can explain the basics in an easy to understand manner!

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3.  But it’s not overly simple – or those of us with more experience would find it boring.  I don’t know how she does it, but she’s managed to create the perfect balance of simplicity and complexity, all wrapped up in neat little paragraphs.

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4.  Have just a few minutes to sit down and read something?  Debra’s book is full of tips and informational paragraphs, perfect for those of us who don’t have time to spend 45 minutes reading a lengthy chapter of the history of succulents. In fact my mother came to visit over the weekend and casually picked up this book.  My mother is a definitely a ‘harsh critic’, and upon seeing Debra’s inscription in my book, my mother exclaimed ‘you KNOW her?’….when I confirmed that ‘ why yes, I did’, she promptly  said ‘well you must tell her that this is a gorgeous book and I LOVE that it has brief sections that I can just plop down and read in a few minutes’.  So there you have it – my mother’s a fan, too!

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5.  Debra also offeres great design tips – helping people actually learn about pairing succulents and pots, instead of just telling folks what to do.  I love it when people take the time to actually ‘teach’ others, and ‘teach’ she does – not only talking about the different pot styles, but also design basics (such as repetition of form and color, contrasting textures, etc).

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6. Of course her book goes into the specifics about the planting, care and propogation of succulents – something which will benefit every reader, experienced and novices alike.

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7.  Her book ends with a chapter listing specific plants, but NOT listed alphabetically, but by design orientation!  For example there’s a list for succulents by Height, by Color, by Texture, Fillers, Flowers and Cold-Hardy varieties.  Genius!

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To sum it up?  Run right out and buy this book! Or ask for it for your birthday, or Mother’s Day, or Christmas…somehow you must get your hands on this book!  I have no doubt you’ll use it over and over again for years to come! .