Recently, I read a wonderful book, Designing the Lush Dry Garden by Cricket Riley, Alice Kitajima, and Kier Holmes. There is so much information in it that I will definitely read it a second time and take notes. It is a beautiful book, full of enchanting images and technical information.

I highly recommend it. It is perfect if you are looking for a guide to creating a dry garden, but it can also help with any type of garden.

Ruth Bancroft was incredibly creative and created a majestic garden that I can hardly describe. It is truly beautiful.

Even though I lived in California for almost nine years, I never had the chance to visit the Ruth Bancroft Garden, but it is on my plans.

What I liked most about the book was the huge variety of plants and the compositions you can create in a way that looks very natural. I really love natural-looking gardens.

Manicured gardens are also beautiful, but the natural look is more aligned with my vision and with how I believe gardens should be designed.

The book also has a section that helps you design a garden and shows how to start the design process. I incorporate bubble diagrams into my process, and it is very simple and extremely helpful.

If you love gardens that feel alive and natural, I truly encourage you to check out this book. It offers inspiration and practical guidance. It can really help you see dry gardens in a new way. It can also help you view garden design in general from a fresh perspective.

Image Credit: Alexander Mass and Quang Nguyen Vinh