Five years ago, while working on his book, Designer Plant Combinations, Tucson-based designer and author Scott Calhoun was shocked to learn that in most gardens in the United States, cactus were anything but standard issue. In fact, the bulk of home gardens he visited contained exactly zero species of cactus.
It occurred to Calhoun that perversely, being thus overlooked made cactus one of the most enticing plant families for those hoping to veer from the mundane toward the sharp side of gardening. In his own design practice, he tantalized clients with visions of "cactus flowers heavily scented of honey and chocolate; hedgehog species with fruit that tastes like strawberries; and lime-green columns whose skin feels like melted wax."
Calhoun's passion for including cactus in home landscapes resulted in his latest book, The Gardener's Guide to Cactus: The 100 Best Paddles, Barrels, Columns, and Globes, which he will be officially launching at the TCCS February meeting. Scott Calhoun is the author of six gardening books that address the unique aspects of gardening in the arid Southwest. His first book, Yard Full of Sun, was awarded the 2006 American Horticultural Society Book Award; his second title, Chasing Wildflowers, won the Garden Writers Association 2008 Silver Book Award. Scott writes a monthly garden column for Sunset magazine and has written for nearly every national gardening magazine. He runs Zona Gardens, a design studio, writes, lectures across the United States. When he is at home, he can be found working in his garden, hiking, and reading a good book. Find out more about Scott at www.zonagardens.com.
Scott's new book will be available and you can have your copy signed just after he completes his program presentation. Make sure you join us for a fun night with an excellent program, great food, books, free plants and much more!
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