Santa Barbara Gardens & Homes - book reviews

When I daydream about places I'd love to live and garden, the California coast often comes to mind. I've been particularly drawn to Carmel, although I've never visited in person. My romanticized view of Malibu faded somewhat after a visit to Los Angeles about a decade ago. It wasn't quite as charming as I'd imagined, and the level of congestion was much more than I prefer.

It's highly unlikely that I'll ever live on the California coast, so books are the next best thing. Santa Barbara sounds heavenly, and judging by these two books, it certainly looks that way.

Holly Lepere is a landscape and architectural photographer based in Santa Barbara. Her latest book, Private Homes of Santa Barbara, is scheduled for publication on October 27. Her beautiful photography showcases a dozen homes in Santa Barbara, with gardens ranging from ranch and hacienda styles to minimalist landscapes, beach houses, and grand estates.

A nice companion to that book is Private Gardens of Santa Barbara by Margie Grace, also photographed by Lepere. Published in 2020, it follows a similar style and format, eighteen gardens are profiled, including the author's own. Others feature seaside landscapes, a wildlife refuge, and a Zen garden. The lush photography captures both sweeping vistas and intimate details, bringing each garden to life.

Disclosure: Gibbs Smith sent me Private Homes of Santa Barbara and Private Gardens of Santa Barbara for review without compensation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy