I have killed so many plants.

Since moving to Oregon from Cincinnati five years ago, I have slain more than my share of innocents by not giving them what they needed to survive. Many more I have ripped out and thrown on the compost heap for failing to perform as I’d hoped.

You’d think I would have done better. I came here with 17 years of gardening experience. I’d worked at a wholesale nursery for 16 years. I’d been an ISA-certified arborist (though I’d let my membership lapse). And I was now gardening in the benign climate of Portland, where any noob can grow delphiniums and palms and monkey puzzle trees and hardy fuchsias.

My plant friends back in Cincinnati struggled to grow sad, puny camellias in their warmest microclimates and hated me while I gloated about my zone 8 plant palette. Little did they know I was quietly killing plants in this gardener’s wonderland. I thought that gardening here would be the same as in the Midwest, only with milder winters.

But there were many aspects of gardening here that I didn’t understand—aspects that I would have to grasp before I would be able to have a garden that would truly thrive: The complete and utter lack of rainfall in summer, which causes the ground to crack and makes the soil actually refuse to take up water when it is offered.  The East Winds that rip through the Columbia River Gorge, barreling towards Portland. The special needs of plants adapted to dry summers and their sensitivity to irrigation when soil temperatures are high. Gardening in the Pacific Northwest: The Complete Homeowner’s Guide would have helped me on all accounts had I had this book in my possession five years ago!

How did I come to co-author the book that was to be my own best advice? Well, when my husband and I moved to the Pacific Northwest, I decided to exit the nursery industry and try to make it as a freelance garden writer and photographer. It was a dream I’d had for a long time, and it was time to take the plunge. Lo and behold, I soon found rewarding work; my main client became Bower & Branch, an innovative online retailer of trees and perennials. I also introduced myself at Timber Press, which happens to be headquartered here in Portland, and I landed a gig helping out on the third edition of Tracy DiSabato-Aust’s bestselling book, The Well-Tended Perennial Garden. When Timber later asked me to work on Paul Bonine’s Gardening in the Pacific Northwest, I immediately said yes.

I discovered Paul’s garden entirely by accident one day. Walking Portland’s neighborhoods is like exploring a huge botanical garden, and I was checking out his neck of the woods in March of 2014, less than a year after I’d moved to the area. His garden stopped me in my tracks. By then I was used to the humbling feeling of encountering plants I didn’t recognize, but Paul’s front yard was filled with plants that were new to me. I took photos and later ID’ed some of his treasures as Grevillea australis, Eucalyptus pauciflora subsp. debeuzevillei, Daphne genkwa, and Drimys lanceolata.

Eventually, I got to know Paul through the nursery he co-owns with Greg Shepherd, Xera Plants. I soon realized something about him as a plantsman. Namely, he doesn’t grow uncommon plants just to be different, but to find plants that flourish in our conditions. He’s constantly seeking plants that are naturally attuned to life in the Pacific Northwest. In other words, he kills lots of plants too, but with a purpose. Only the best will pass his test.

I’ve found Paul to be one of the most brilliant plantspeople I have ever met. He is certainly one of the most knowledgeable in our region. A lifelong Oregonian, a longtime nurseryman, and a keen weather geek, he knows exactly how to succeed with an enormous array of plants in all subclimates of the Pacific Northwest. He knows how to handle our weather, our soils, and our pests, and he knows which plants work and which ones don’t cut the mustard.

I was brought on board by Timber Press to give the wealth of information in Paul’s manuscript better flow. It was an honor to work with him, and in doing so, I received a master class in gardening in the Pacific Northwest. I feel much more confident now in making smart choices that will suit my conditions as well as my personal aesthetic. I ripped out all of the turf in our front yard and am currently installing a brand-new, drought-tolerant garden, and I’m renovating the back garden—replacing my duds and water-hogs with beautiful, interesting, and more climate-adapted selections.

I also took nearly all of the photos for the book. Tracking down the plants in the extensive profile section was like going on a botanical treasure hunt, and it gave me a good excuse to see more of our region’s gorgeous public and private gardens. I am especially thankful to the many members of the Hardy Plant Society of Oregon who so graciously welcomed me into their gardens. Joining this fabulous non-profit club—2,500 members strong—is a must for any passionate Northwest gardener. It is a wonderfully welcoming and vibrant community.

I believe that Gardening in the Pacific Northwest: The Complete Homeowner’s Guide will give you the confidence and tools to succeed in your piece of Eden, too. Even if you’re an experienced gardener and have lived here your whole life, I think you’ll enjoy this book. You”ll find lots of great tips and the plant palette is exciting and quite sophisticated. I do hope you’ll add it to your library.

Enter now to win a signed copy! Let me know in the comments that you’d like to enter the contest, and I will draw one winner at random on Tuesday, April 10, at 9pm (Pacific Time, of course!).

You can buy Gardening in the Pacific Northwest: The Complete Homeowner’s Guide at most places where gardening books are sold, or online at Timber Press, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, and Indiebound.

And the winner, picked by random.org, is… Fern Elledge! Congratulations, Fern, and thanks to everyone for participating.