Text by Jack Barnwell and Sue Allen
Photography by Jennifer Wohletz
Contributing photographs from the Mackinac Historic State Park archives.
Nonfiction, Coffee Table Book
ISBN: 978-0-9973847-5-8
Size
10" x 10"
Product Details
344 pages, hard cover, dust jacket, black & white and four color photographs
Published by Mackinac Memories.
Designed in Michigan. Printed in Canada.
Description
The Gardens of Mackinac Island offers an inside peek at the public and private outdoor spaces people cherish on Mackinac Island. With more than 600 photographs, the book takes readers on a tour of the island’s gardens both humble and grand.
Authors Jack Barnwell, of Mackinac Island and Naples, Fla., and Sue Allen, of Mackinac Island and Alexandria, Va., capture not only a moment in time, but a view of what has made Mackinac’s softer side so impressive. Barnwell has more than 20 years of experience creating commercial and private gardens on the island as a landscape architect and owner of Barnwell Landscape and Garden, Inc. He believes “playing in the deep quiet woods and flower-filled meadows of Mackinac Island as a child sparked his passion for working with plants.”
By conducting more than 60 interviews with local landscape designers, resident gardeners and homeowners, Allen collected insightful stories to share about gardens from today and yesterday. “This book is not just about the big beautiful gardens or the special little ones – it’s about the people and their passion and connection to the earth,” says Allen, who is a lifelong island summer resident, retired teacher and journalist. “Each garden has a story, many have secrets, and most have a connection to the past.”
The book’s photographs provide inspiration for creating an inviting, relaxing outdoor space. They were taken by Jennifer Wohletz, of Mackinac Island and Milford, Mich., along with a few contributions from local photographers and the Mackinac State Historic Parks collection.
Review
“The Gardens of Mackinac Island is an informative, engaging, and visually stunning book that captures the beauty and diversity of the island’s floral environment and cultivated gardens. The book does a wonderful job of connecting today’s gardens with Mackinac’s rich botanical history," says Phil Porter, former director, Mackinac State Historic Parks.
