Landprints

Book excerpt: Australian-born landscape designer Bernard Trainor has made it his life's work to capture the wild soul of his adopted home of Northern California. Neither a naturalist nor an architect, Trainor uses the tools of both to create stunning large-scale gardens that unfold over many acres. Across airy hilltops, craggy seasides, and other one-of-a-kind tracts, Trainor applies simple, understated frames to rugged natural panoramas, the better to bring them into focus. His understated yet powerful landscapes draw inspiration from local plants, regional history, and the contours of the site. Designed to engage all of the senses—the sound of water, the smell of sage—Trainor's gardens create sensory memories that foster a deep connection to the land. Landprints showcases ten of his most ambitious and inspiring gardens through gorgeous photography and detailed project descriptions.