Sunset

I really should give 5 stars for this 1986 edition of Sunset’s classic Western Garden book ... I have an old-pre-ISBN-era copy from the 1970's. This updated edition is delightful and very useful in additional layout designs for problem gardening situations. The ½-star off is due to the poor coverage of the British Columbia area of the Pacific Northwest. Why stop at the 49th parallel?!!

In comparison, I subsequently found a copy of the 8th (2007) edition, and decided not to keep it. It is show more not nearly as user-friendly. Sections in what were previously landscaping designs for specific situations are so embellished with glossy photographs and plant cultivar close-ups as to render this information less detailed. As well, opening spreads are glossy postcard layouts, reminiscent of coffee table books emphasizing pretty views. Rather than this edition being a solid reference, these additions have reduced the book to a more general overview. So I'm preferentially keeping the 1986 edition (and my earliest Western Garden edition from the 1970's). show less

Californios. This was the name given to the original Spanish ranchers of the Golden State, the ones who created the forever-classic look of white washed adobes with orange-red roof tiles surrounded by pink and purple bougainvilleas. When the Gold Rush brought in the Anglos and the American statehood, California retained its unique stature as the stretch goal of the young nation's Manifest Destiny.

This Sunset edition focuses on a land which could conceivably be divided into several different show more states. North Coast, Bay Area, Central Valley, Middle Kingdom, Gold Country, Deserts, and Southern California. The book takes a look at each separate section with mucho photos and it's fun to see how people looked back in the late 1960s (much, much thinner).

I enjoyed having this book by my side on a recent drive through the state, as it made it easy to focus on specific areas. Whether it's hitting the North Bay with its "bottled poetry" (Robert Louis Stevenson), hanging with the elephant seals at Año Nuevo, or hiking in 109° Palm Desert ("but it's a dry heat"), California is a magical place for Californians, Californios, and the those dratted tourists (you can look but don't stay).

Book Season = Year Round (it's all good from Diego to the Bay) show less

This book is amusing as a novelty, a relic of the fashions of the late 70s. Although the techniques it employs are applicable to the modern day, the actual content of the book is geared toward a design sensibility that no longer exists.

That being said, if you are interested in vintage patterns or would like inspiration for a 70s style recreation wardrobe, this would be a great source.

Recommendation: Good for novelty purposes or for the retro crocheter, but not for the average crafter.

This is a historic cookbook by today's standards, but it has some really great recipes, including the best banana bread recipe I've ever had (a conclusion shared by everyone I know who's tried it). This is worth getting if you find it used somewhere.