A must-have growing guide for gardeners in the Pacific Northwest A gardener’s plant choices and garden style are inextricably linked to the place they call home. In order to grow a flourishing garden, every gardener must know the specifics of their region’s climate, soil, and geography.  Gardening in the Pacific Northwest , by regional gardening experts Paul Bonine and Amy Campion, is comprehensive, enthusiastic, and accessible to gardeners of all levels. It features information on site and plant selection, soil preparation and maintenance, and basic design principles. Plant profiles highlight the region’s best perennials, shrubs, trees, and vines. Color photographs throughout show wonderful examples of Northwest garden style.  “Concise, witty, and pertinent content from our region’s most notable horticulturists.” —Daniel J. Hinkley, author, plant collector, and lecturer “Useful for libraries in the massive region of the U.S. that extends from the Pacific Northwest coast all the way east to the Rockies.” — Booklist “A handy primer to anyone new to Northwest gardening.” — Sunset “Covers everything that you would ever need to know about the nuances of gardening in this amazing region we all call home.” — The Oregonian “A game changer for so many gardeners in our region, both beginning and experienced.” — Danger Garden “Beautiful. . . . if you like what you see here you’ll LOVE the rest of the book!” — Garden Therapy Expert plantsman and Northwest native Paul Bonine knows all the insider tips for growing a spectacular garden in our region—on both sides of the mountains. Together with seasoned garden writer Amy Campion, he packs more than 25 years of wisdom into this defi nitive guide, from a comprehensive list of the best plants, to how to work with our diverse climates, seasons, and soils. Striking photographs showcase plants and how to use them in a variety of design styles. Filled with essential advice for distinct ecoregions in Oregon, Washington, and southwest British Columbia, this go-to manual should be on the shelf of every Pacific Northwest gardener. Paul Bonine is a garden writer, lecturer, and co-owner of the wholesale and retail specialty plant nursery Xera Plants, in Portland, Oregon. A lifelong plantsman, Paul has worked in the nursery industry for nearly twenty years and has consulted for NPR, the Sunset Western Garden Book , and The Oregonian . Amy Campion is a freelance writer, editor, and photographer. She writes for an online tree retailer. She worked at a large wholesale/retail nursery for sixteen years before moving to Oregon, where she is active in the Hardy Plant Society. Campion blogs about gardening at amycampion.com. Introduction This book is a guide to creating vibrant gardens in the Pacific Northwest while also promoting balance and a more responsible use of resources. No other endeavor connects us so closely to the earth, the change of seasons, the weather. We can paint pictures, enrich the earth and air, provide important habitat for wildlife, grow food, act as conservator, and leave a legacy for future generations. Above all, we can expand our understanding of what a meaningful, personal outdoor space can be in this remarkable part of the planet. To those ends, this book starts with an exploration of the weather conditions with which smart Northwest gardeners seek to form a cautious alliance. By working with nature instead of expecting the climate to suit our needs, we vastly increase our chances of gardening triumphs and decrease our incidents of frustration. We’ll cover the eight basic subregions in this part of the country and discuss how climate impacts gardeners in each area. Next, we’ll offer a guide to good garden culture, which begins with knowing what type of soil you have and how to work with it. We’ll give a lesson on planting in our wet-winter/dry-summer climate, and then we’ll explain how to properly fertilize, irrigate, and mulch your Pacific Northwest garden. We’ll also discuss how to deal with diseases such as verticillium wilt and pests like azalea lace bug and slugs. A significant portion of this book is comprised of portraits of carefully chosen perennials, shrubs, vines, and trees. We’re convinced that gardening for diversity is vitally important. Around the world, the extinction rate of species is accelerating, and it’s imperative that our gardens help slow this trend by becoming zones of conservation and variety. We provide a comprehensive list of region-appropriate plants in an effort to help you keep your own garden’s flora wonderfully eclectic. Finally, we’ll illustrate the most popular garden styles of our region. We’ll show you gardens that have been designed to both embrace beauty and to fit into the landscape without taking a toll on the environment. Seeing how these retreats are in harmony with their surroundings paints a portrait of what is possible here. Although this book has two authors, the story will be told f