02/12/2007: "Local Landscaper Featured In New Book"

Six residential landscapes designed by Steve Schramm and created by Island Gardens Company are included in the new book Gardening at the Shore, written by Frances Tenenbaum, with photography by Jerry Pavia.

In this recently published book, Tenenbaum (the legendary editor of Houghton Mifflin's series Taylor's Guides to Gardening) delves into the unique gardening challenges presented by coastal environments—the cool, foggy Pacific Coast, the New England and Mid-Atlantic Shore, and the warm southeastern Atlantic Coast.

The landscapes of Island Gardens Company were chosen to represent the Pacific Northwest region.

The featured landscapes illustrate Schramm's design principle of choosing landscape plants and materials that combine harmoniously with the natural surroundings, so that the native landscape is enhanced rather than overwhelmed. Schramm's collaborative style is expressed in these gardens: he responds to the demands of the site, reflects the desire of his clients, and calls upon the many talents of his staff. The gardens' owners come to know their landscapes as living, changing, outdoor homes that are beautiful, functional, and personal.