Product Description

Celebrated internationally as artists and gardeners, George Little and David Lewis open the gates to their renowned garden retreat and share the personalities and enthusiasms that have shaped its wild fantasia of plants, hardscape, and art.

Little and Lewis are long-time collaborators whose concrete sculptures and installations have been collected around the world. Their Puget Sound garden is the primary showcase for their artwork but also for the unique gardening qualities that epitomize their style. Water features, oversized and broad-leaf plants, expansive use of color, zone-pushing tropicals, architectural emphasis, and elements of classicism and mystery --- all combine to create a deeply personal and magical space. In this long-awaited book, Little and Lewis describe how any gardener can achieve this kind of excitement and space for reflection in his or her backyard.

From practical advice on how to make a slow-drip natural fountain, choose complementary colors, or build an inexpensive Tuscan-style wall to conceptual discussions on laying out borders and making use of water, Little and Lewis offer inspiration and encourage gardeners to use imagination and take risks. Stunning and unforgettable photographs by Barbara Denk provide a lush visual interpretation, while NPR's "Doyenne of Dirt," Ketzel Levine, describes the authors' important influence on the gardening community.

Throughout A Garden Gallery, Little and Lewis take turns speaking about their garden, their methods, and how two artist-gardeners have managed to work together peacefully for so many years. It's a fascinating look at a creative partnership that came about spontaneously, succeeded quickly, and, like their garden, continues to evolve and grow.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #120607 in Books
• Published on: 2005-01-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 176 pages

From Booklist
In the space of a small yet breathtakingly verdant city lot on Washington's Bainbridge Island, artists George Little and David Lewis tend a brilliant garden where theatricality guides the design plan. In their first book, these multitalented collaborators open the gate to their studio and garden to set forth a refreshing approach to designing a lush retreat. Having helped put the "tropical" style of gardening on the horticultural map, Little and Lewis freely exchange savvy tips on garden construction, plant cultivation, water gardening, and the use of color. Creators of inventive water features and fantastical concrete sculptures--ancient-looking columns, enormous leaves in entrancing hues--Little and Lewis describe how they bring together sculptural elements and dramatic plant combinations. The fabulous photography captures tableaux at every juncture in the artists' outdoor sanctuary and in other exceptional garden realms. An inspiration to budding and accomplished gardeners alike, the Little and Lewis philosophy is suffused with a generosity of spirit that seems to characterize today's great garden makers. Alice Joyce
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review
"The book, like their outdoor gallery on an island in Washington's pristine Puget Sound, illustrates their ideas and inspires gardeners from around the world."—Metropolitan Home, April 2005 (Metropolitan Home )

"This book reveals the secrets Little and Lewis skillfully use to pull their visitors into a labyrinth of color and design, often of Mediterranean inspiration."—Jessica Rozmus, American Gardener, September/October 2005 (Jessica Rozmus American Gardener )

"Will provide us all with plenty of ideas for creating our own artful gardens."—Pacific Horticulture, Spring 2005 (Pacific Horticulture )

The book, like their outdoor gallery on an island in Washington's pristine Puget Sound, illustrates their ideas and inspires gardeners from around the world.Metropolitan Home, April 2005 (Metropolitan Home )

This book reveals the secrets Little and Lewis skillfully use to pull their visitors into a labyrinth of color and design, often of Mediterranean inspiration.Jessica Rozmus, American Gardener, September/October 2005 (American Gardener )

Will provide us all with plenty of ideas for creating our own artful gardens.Pacific Horticulture, Spring 2005 (Pacific Horticulture )

About the Author
David Lewis combined his studies in a career as an archaeological illustrator. He was based in Corinth, Greece, for several years before moving to the Pacific Northwest and co-founding Little and Lewis, Inc., in 1992. He and George Little now live on Bainbridge Island, in Washington State, working in a studio surrounded by their internationally known garden gallery. Their color-washed concrete sculptures and installations can be found in homes and gardens throughout the world, while thousands of enthusiasts visit their private garden each year.

George Little has been a watercolorist and sculptor for more than thirty years and was an instructor at the Seattle Art Institute before co-founding Little and Lewis, Inc., in 1992. He and David Lewis now live on Bainbridge Island, in Washington State, working in a studio surrounded by their internationally known garden gallery. Their color-washed concrete sculptures and installations can be found in homes and gardens throughout the world, while thousands of enthusiasts visit their private garden each year.

Customer Reviews

The Book is as Good as the Cover
First, you hope the photos in the book are as good as the one on the cover; they are. Then, after flipping through the pages to see everything as fast as possible, settle in and read.

David and George started out to write in one voice. As David tells it, "We realized we were in trouble right after the word "The" and decided to write in two voices." The two voices make the book unique in the contrast of their personalities, each of which exhibits a delightful sense of humor while incorporating solid information about the plants and hardscape of this incredible garden. David is practical, George is spiritual; David nails down, George tosses; David keeps the check register, George fills it.

Kudos to Barbara Denk for her years of beautiful photographs; and don't miss the delightful forward by NPR's Doyenne of Dirt, Ketzel Levine.

This is one of the best books I've ever read about building and editing a beautiful garden.

Outstanding in All Respects
I am a gardening nut and read garden books regularly. I've never read a book that describes the feeling of creating a garden space more eloquently and beautifully. I came away with dozens of ideas for my own small garden and realized why so many areas in my garden just don't "feel" right to me. I've never been so emotionally caught up in a gardening book before. This book is wonderfully written and the photographs are spectacular. It leaves you wanting more.... I'll be visiting Seattle this summer to tour the gardens! Thanks to David and George for sharing your special place with me!

The artists and their garden
I'm saddened to say that I've never had the opportunity to visit George Little and David Lewis's celebrated garden on Bainbridge Island, Washington, but at least now I have the next best thing - this beautiful book.

The Little/Lewis garden is a lush Eden filled with tropical foliage and blooms and decorated with the concrete objects that the two have created. Cannas, bananas, colocasia, water lilies, grasses and vines are beautifully displayed among the unique columns, vases, vividly painted walls and water features that the owners have created. Each chapter covers a different element of their garden ("Bones of the Garden," "Brave Plantings," "Elemental Water," "Art and Sculpture," "Time and Rhythm") and they each take turns sharing their thoughts and ideas that will surely inspire the reader. Even more inspring are the outstanding photographs by Barbara Denk.

Although this is not a technical "how-to" book, there are sidebars that tell how to make simple water features (including a jardiniere fountain), materials for building walls, and lists of the author's favorite plants.

The is one of the most beautiful garden books I've ever seen and I would recommend it highly.