Christine Allen and Michael Kluckner's portrayal of life on Killara Farm moves thoughtfully through a year of gardening with a rich, detailed narrative that evokes the many pleasures of life in rural Southwestern BC. Allen, a master gardener, is also a lyrical writer, expressing the tiny details of life on the farm-the "winter jasmine, doggedly flowering on the fence by the chicken house," the excitement of snowdrops opening at the end of January and strategies for ensuring a balance of colour in the foxgloves. Her twelve essays are illuminated by Kluckner's masterful watercolours and interspersed with a delightful scattering of pressed flowers, gardening tips and seasonal recipes. Part memoir, part illustrated garden journal, part cookbook, A Year at Killara Farm truly celebrates a way of life that is intimately tied to the natural world and the rhythm of the seasons. The result is a charming book sure to inspire any gardener. | A Year at Killara Farm by Christine Allen, Hardcover | Indigo Chapters