Landscape gardening Books

Book SynopsisNamed one of the best gardening books for 2023 by Gardens Illustrated An Irish Times Best Gardening Book 2023 2023 GardenComm Media Awards Silver Laurel Medal of Achievement The ideal, easy-to-use resource for growing healthy, resilient, low-maintenance trees, shrubs, vines and other fruiting plants from around the world – perfect for farmers, gardeners and landscapers at every scale. Illustrated with more than 200 colour photographs and covering 50 productive edible crops – from Arctic kiwi to jujebe, medlar to heartnut – this is the go-to guide for growers interested in creating diversity in their growing spaces. Cold-Hardy Fruits and Nuts is a one-stop compendium of the most productive, edible fruit-and nut-bearing crops that push the boundaries of what can survive winters in cold-temperate growing regions. While most nurseries and guidebooks feature plants that are riddled with pest problems (such as apples and peaches), veteran growers and founders of the Hortus Arboretum and Botanical Gardens, Allyson Levy and Scott Serrano, focus on both common and unfamiliar fruits that have few, if any, pest or disease problems and an overall higher level of resilience. Inside Cold-Hardy Fruits and Nuts you’ll find: Taste profiles for all fifty hardy fruits and nuts, with notes on harvesting and uses Plant descriptions and natural histories Recommended cultivars, both new and classic Propagation methods for increasing plants Nut profiles including almonds, chestnuts, walnuts and pecans Fertilisation needs and soil/site requirements And much more! With beautiful and instructive colour photographs throughout, the book is also full of concise, clearly written botanical and cultural information based on the authors’ years of growing experience. The fifty fruits and nuts featured provide a nice balance of the familiar and the exotic: from almonds and pecans to more unexpected fruits like maypop and Himalayan chocolate berry. Cold-Hardy Fruits and Nuts gives adventurous gardeners all they need to get growing. Both experienced and novice gardeners who are interested in creating a sustainable landscape with a greater diversity of plant life – while also providing healthy foods – will find this book an invaluable resource. ‘If you are an edible gardener interested in widening the scope of what you grow, or a designer looking to explore where edible perennials meet the ornamental, this book will serve you very well indeed.’ Gardens IllustratedTrade Review“Outrageous diversity throughout the ecosystem will always be essential for growing healthy fruit and nuts. Allyson Levy and Scott Serrano have provided a thorough guide to adding an intriguing selection of productive plantings to your landscape. Get on board and plant more of everything!”—Michael Phillips, author of The Holistic Orchard and Mycorrhizal Planet“At a time when we are rediscovering the value of biodiversity and habitat enrichment, Cold-Hardy Fruits and Nuts offers a compendium of lesser-known backyard forageables that can turn a home garden into a homestead landscape ripe with flavor and nutrition.”—John Forti, author of The Heirloom Gardener; executive director, Bedrock Gardens “Allyson and Scott are deeply committed plant lovers, and this well-researched, handsome book—with educational photographic portraits of each plant—shares their botanical love affair with us! Hortus Arboretum and Botanical Gardens is their magical plant playground that we get to visit, and this delicious gift is birthed from that rich source. They deftly guide us to diversify our landscape with beauty we can eat, while increasing our personal and ecological health.”—Dina Falconi, author of Foraging and Feasting and Earthly Bodies and Heavenly Hair“This is the book for growers looking to expand their range of perennial and tree crops. Levy and Serrano have not wasted too much space on general cultivation tips. Instead, they wisely dedicate the bulk of the book to detailed, practical advice on a wide variety of species, some of which I had never come across before, others which I had assumed would need warmer conditions. You will be inspired!”—Ben Raskin, author of The Woodchip Handbook; head of horticulture and agroforestry, the Soil Association“Allyson Levy and Scott Serrano are consummate gardeners and artists. They bring horticultural prowess and designer insights to this beautiful, easy-to-use, and easy-to-read book. Their in-depth research and hands-on knowledge are invaluable to those looking to expand their palette of plants. Featuring taste profiles, landscape tips, and propagation techniques, Cold-Hardy Fruits and Nuts is my new go-to guide for growing these plants. It is wonderful to see native trees and shrubs included with such enthusiasm and appreciation.”—Marc Wolf, executive director, Mountain Top Arboretum“This book is filled with enthusiasm for growing uncommon fruits and nuts and I can’t agree more. Allyson and Scott give honest assessments of each plant based on years of hands-on experience. Along with the detailed plant and fruit descriptions, I particularly like their ‘Growth Difficulty Rating’ and ‘Taste Profile and Uses’ sections to help readers decide what to grow. They have me dreaming of growing Himalayan chocolate berries and Korean stone pines.”—Charlie Nardozzi, author of Foodscaping“Cold-Hardy Fruits and Nuts offers practical experience and useful information on a great diversity of species, including a few surprises. A great place to turn for anyone developing a perennial edible landscape, one of the world’s highest-carbon forms of gardening and farming.”—Eric Toensmeier, coauthor of Edible Forest Gardens, author of Perennial Vegetables“Allyson Levy and Scott Serrano have been my ‘go-to’ source for information on unusual or common plant subjects to draw. Now they have made their wealth of knowledge available in this beautiful and concise book. Full of essential information alongside interesting facts about each tree, shrub, or vine, the book tells us what to plant and why, how to best grow it, when to harvest, how to crack the nuts, and what to do with an abundance of fruit to preserve. The photos are lovely and descriptive. As an artist, a harvester, and a novice gardener, I now have all the information I need about my fruit and nut growing in one book!”—Wendy Hollender, botanical artist and author of The Joy of Botanical Drawing“Cold-Hardy Fruits and Nuts covers a full range of edible plants for the home landscape—from the familiar to the lesser known to the truly exotic. Highly recommended for its great level of detail. The authors’ deep research into botanical history and descriptions both satisfies my curiosity and makes me want to delve even deeper into the information they provide.”—Robert Kourik, author of Sustainable Food Gardens and Designing and Maintaining Your Edible Landscape Naturally"Beautifully and profusely illustrated, Cold-Hardy Fruits and Nut is impressively and comprehensively informative, exceptionally well written, and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in organization and presentation. Especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and academic library."—Midwest Book Review"If you are an edible gardener interested in widening the scope of what you grow, or a designer looking to explore where edible perennials meet the ornamental, this book will serve you very well indeed."—Gardens Illustrated

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Book SynopsisBen Raskin’s wide-ranging work in varied locations makes The Woodchip Handbook a really useful overview of the possibilities afforded by woodchip. Charles Dowding, author of Charles Dowding’s No Dig Gardening The first and only complete guide to sourcing and using woodchip – an abundant, inexpensive and ecologically sustainable material – for savvy growers and landscapers at any scale, from farm to garden to greenhouse. The Woodchip Handbook is the essential guide to the many uses of woodchip both in regenerative agriculture and horticulture. Author Ben Raskin, Head of Horticulture and Agroforestry at the Soil Association, draws on his extensive practical experience using woodchip, provides the latest research from around the world and presents inspiring case studies from innovative farmers. The book explores and unlocks the tremendous potential of woodchip to enhance soil health and plant growth: As a natural mulch for weed suppression, temperature buffering and water conservation As a growing medium for propagating plants As a decomposing source of warmth for hotbeds in the greenhouse or hoop house As a carbon-rich compost ingredient that supports beneficial fungi and microorganisms As a powerful soil health booster when applied as small-sized ramial chipped wood As an ideal substrate for growing many kinds of edible or medicinal mushrooms As a sustainable, versatile and durable material for foot paths and ornamental landscaping Some of these techniques, like mulching – or the renewable harvest potential from coppicing and pollarding trees – have been around forever. Yet there is always new science to be discovered, such as the role that salicylic acid from willow woodchip can play in preventing tree diseases or promoting livestock health when used as a bedding material. Whether you are a commercial grower or farmer, a permaculture practitioner or a serious home gardener producing your own fruit and vegetables, The Woodchip Handbook will show you how to get the most out of this readily available and renewable material. I did not know the world needed a whole book on woodchip, but from the first chapter I could not put this book down. Alys Fowler, author of The Edible Garden and The Thrifty GardenerTrade Review‘In a world desperate for solutions that will allow us to get off the agro-chemical treadmill while tackling the climate challenges ahead, woodchip steps forward. Working with Ben, I’ve learned much over the last few years, and am amazed by the power of this humble resource. This trailblazing book will be invaluable in firing both our imagination and understanding of woodchip’s potential to grow and farm better.’—Helen Browning, chief executive, Soil Association‘I did not know the world needed a whole book on woodchip, but from the first chapter I could not put this book down. Raskin’s thorough, informed and well-referenced research is going to be a must for anyone who cares about soil. Woodchip has such potential to help us create more local, sustainable ways of growing, and this handbook is the resource needed to dispel myths and find the best method and scale for everyone from gardeners to large-scale farms.’—Alys Fowler, author of The Edible Garden and The Thrifty Gardener‘I use woodchip quite extensively in my garden and have for decades. It has been an important part of increasing our soil organic matter and carbon storage. The Woodchip Handbook addresses its many uses and all the technical questions of how to acquire and manage it. If you want to learn more about woodchip for your yard or farm, look no further.’—Eric Toensmeier, author of The Carbon Farming Solution and Perennial Vegetables‘Ben Raskin’s wide-ranging work in varied locations makes The Woodchip Handbook a really useful overview of the possibilities afforded by woodchip. It’s good for soil and good for plants, once you understand how it can work best for you, as he explains in this book.’—Charles Dowding, author of Charles Dowding’s No Dig Gardening‘In a time when the farming and gardening literature seems to be overflowing with information about soil mineralization with rock dusts, cover crop smorgasbords, foliar feeding, liquid carbon pathways and rotational grazing, it is great relief to finally have, in one place, a treasure that describes the missing piece of the complete soil creation process: coarse woody debris! You won’t find a better, more complete summary of the how, the why and the overall importance of woodchip in the process of building the ideal fertile soil for your garden, homestead or farm. Bravo, Ben Raskin!’—Mark Shepard, author of Restoration Agriculture‘Ben Raskin's latest book, on the many, many uses and benefits of woodchip, is the definitive guide to the subject. It’s something every climate-change-savvy gardener must read.’—Kim Stoddart, editor, The Organic Way magazine; coauthor of The Climate Change Garden‘A real “grower’s” guide: comprehensive, informed and, quite possibly, revolutionary. Raskin is a practitioner of soil, and woodchip is his medicine. Through astute observation and keen experimentation, he unravels the burgeoning possibilities of woodchip for soil health and regeneration. The secret to woodchip, Raskin says, is fungi: “Woodchip without fungi is like a sea without fish.” If the future of growing is fungi, this book is the prototype manual for practical application of its unique power.’—Matt Rees-Warren, garden designer and author of The Ecological Gardener‘Ben Raskin covers all the bases when it comes to woodchip. This very useful and abundant by-product improves the soil and the environment. Ben presents a wealth of information in a logical, clear and engaging manner. I’ve been a longtime user of woodchip; after reading this book, I will begin using even more of it in even more ways.’—Lee Reich, author of The Pruning Book and Weedless Gardening‘Woodchip is widely available in most cities and has much potential in container growing – as a sustainable source of nutrients, as an ingredient to help sustain the structure of compost over many years and as a brilliant mulch for fruit trees and other perennials. At last, thanks to Ben Raskin, we have the first authoritative, well-researched book on the subject, packed full of useful information and advice. A superb resource for anyone interested in the magic of woodchip.’—Mark Ridsdill Smith, author of The Vertical Veg Guide to Container Gardening‘Before picking up this book, I considered woodchip simply a nice thing to have around as mulch, but the deep dive Ben Raskin offers really makes the case that this material is an essential and focal part of so many aspects when stewarding healthy plants, soil, livestock and fungi. Readers will find the research and case studies fascinating, and the extensive details helpful in answering some of the most commonly asked questions. In the end, if we are to get serious in the act of regenerative farming and ecosystem repair, it's clear that woodchip will play a critical role and it’s time we get more serious about utilizing it.’—Steve Gabriel, Wellspring Forest Farm; author of Silvopasture‘Tree ecosystems create long-term soil fertility. We tap into lignin potential and fungal doings in our own gardens and orchards by utilizing woodchip in a multitude of ways. Ben Raskin delves into the practical nuance of ramial chipped wood and more to inspire humus building efforts everywhere. Regenerate your soil with the woodchip!'—Michael Phillips, author of The Holistic Orchard and Mycorrhizal Planet‘This is a timely piece of work given the dramatic rise, access and popularity of woodchip technologies. Ben Raskin has done the subject proud: well researched and with a pragmatic approach, there is something for growers and gardeners of all shapes and sizes here. Woodchip is able to offer truly sustainable solutions to some of the problems facing horticulture, in particular the replacement of peat-based products. With woodchip we can now grow our own fertile soil and substrates. This manual gives some great information towards that goal.’—Iain Tolhurst, Tolhurst Organics‘Agriculture has been reinventing itself regularly over the past ten thousand years. The Woodchip Handbook is a practical guide for the next step in that transformation in our backyard gardens and orchards as well as on our largest farms. It’s also a great read. Let the trees lead the way!’—John Bunker, orchardist and author of Apples and the Art of Detection

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Book SynopsisAny backyard has the potential to refresh and inspire if you know what to do. Jan Johnsen’s new book, Gardentopia: Design Basics for Creating Beautiful Outdoor Spaces, will delight all garden lovers with over 130 lushly illustrated landscape design and planting suggestions. Ms. Johnsen is an admired designer and popular speaker whose hands-on approach to “co-creating with nature” will have you saying, “I can do that!’ This info-packed, sumptuous book offers individual tips for enhancing any size landscape using ‘real world’ solutions. The suggestions are grouped into five categories that include Garden Design and Artful Accents, Walls, Patios, and Steps and Plants and Planting, among others. Whether you are an experienced gardener or a landscaping novice, Gardentopia will inspire you with tips such as ‘Soften a Corner”, “Paint it Black”, and “Hide and Reveal”.

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Book SynopsisIncreased awareness of the environment and an ever-present interest in curb appeal means that homeowners are eager for more sustainable, natural landscaping. And why shouldn’t they be? In addition to supporting local flora and fauna, ditching grass for lush, native plants helps lower water bills and results in self-sustaining gardens long-term. In John Gidding’s At Home with Nature, homeowners will find thorough blueprints to reap these benefits and bring their dream garden to life. Complete with specific information for every US bioregion, a glossary of native plants, illustrated yard renderings and photos and detailed explanations of suburban codes, this book has examples and techniques to build responsible natural spaces. And as an HGTV star with over a decade of design experience, Gidding is the landscaping expert readers need to get the job done. At Home with Nature is the ultimate resource for creating beautiful and beneficial home gardens.

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Book Synopsis*As seen in The New York Times and MarthaStewart.com "It’s time to rebuild meadows wherever we can. . . Owen Wormser explains why, and how to do this, with oodles of highly readable, ecologically sound advice."—Douglas W. Tallamy, author of Bringing Nature Home and Nature's Best Hope Landscape designer Owen Wormser explains how to replace the deadscape we call lawn with low-maintenance, eco-friendly meadows. In this second edition of his award-winning book, he includes photos of meadows in progress plus more ways to cultivate your own organic meadow. This how-to book on growing your own wildflowers and native grasses is also about sustainability, regeneration, and beauty. In a world where lawns have wreaked havoc on our natural ecosystems, meadows offer a compelling solution. It is garden landscaping that is beautiful, all year round. Meadows establish wildlife and pollinator habitats, are low-maintenance and low-cost, have a built-in resilience that helps them weather climate extremes, and can draw down and store far more carbon dioxide than any manicured lawn. Wormser describes how to plant an organic meadow garden or traditional meadow, that’s right for your site. His book includes guidance on: Preparing your site Designing your meadow Planting without using synthetic chemicals Growing 21 starter native grasses and wildflowers, including butterfly weed, smooth blue aster, purple coneflower, wild bergamot, blue grama grass, switchgrass, and many more Building support in neighborhoods where a tidy lawn is the standard. He also shares 28 color photos that highlight the multitude of ways you can cultivate your own organic meadow. To illuminate the many joys of meadow-building, Wormser draws on his own stories, including how growing up off the grid in northern Maine, with no electricity or plumbing, prepared him for his work.Trade Review"It’s time to rebuild meadows wherever we can, including the deadscape we call lawn. Owen Wormser explains why, and how to do this, with oodles of highly readable, ecologically sound advice."–Douglas W. Tallamy, author of Bringing Nature Home and Nature's Best Hope"I love the voicing in this book. It brought meadows and flowers to life for me in many ways that I am going to continue to enjoy."–Jon Kabat-Zinn, Scientist, writer, and founder of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction"This wonderful book by Owen Wormser has a humble title, Lawns Into Meadows. But it is all about a very big idea, namely the conversion of lawns into meadows as a powerful way to help save the lands, protect the waters, and stabilize the climate. Lawns are a very destructive force in an ecological sense. They consume huge amounts of water and depend on toxic chemicals, fertilizers, and fossil fuels for their maintenance. Meadows do just the opposite. They employ biodiversity and nature’s genius to heal landscapes, build soils, and sequester atmospheric carbon while supporting pollinators and other beneficial insects and plants. The author tells us how to grow a meadow, and become a positive force on behalf of the planet. I highly recommend this book."–Dr. John Todd, author of Healing Earth"The practical organization and clear-cut instructions provided in this book make it an indispensable guide for growing and maintaining a meadow. With its charming cover and interior illustrations, it is also a beautiful addition to any gardener’s library. Recommended for anyone interested in rewilding their landscape."―Casey Laine, Butterfly Gardener"I just made the mistake of sticking my nose into Owen Wormser's Lawns into Meadows and before I knew it, it had interrupted my plans because I kept reading it. Lovely book, lovely ideas, and graceful illustrations. Highly recommended."–Christopher Madden, Woodhall Press"I like the straightforward, can-do approach of Lawns Into Meadows―whether for a replacing a curbside stretch of grass, or an island bed in your backyard, or something bigger. This is a really accessible, how-to book that's also about sustainability, regeneration, and beauty. I'm so glad to get this book."–Margaret Roach, A Way to Garden, New York Times contributor

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Book SynopsisDream Gardens explores twelve dream gardens in challenging spaces, from tiny plots in the inner city, suburban blocks, sandy seaside properties to expansive country acreages. Michael McCoy, well-known garden designer and host of popular Australian TV series Dream Gardens (in which the book's twelve gardens also feature) shows us the challenges and the solutions for creating beautiful functional gardens. By drawing on great garden design each garden finds the perfect solution. In each challenging case, a beautiful garden is created to meet their owners needs. Dream Gardens explores the central ideas of garden design, and illustrates, with stunning photography, how we can use design to make simple changes to our gardens to enjoy beautiful and functional living spaces. The book also features interviews with well-known garden designers, including Fiona Brockhoff and Paul Bangay, discussing their featured gardens.

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Book SynopsisConnecting with plantsa guide to belonging, ecological resilience, and permaculture designThe plants in our world not only nourish and sustain us, they also root us within our human and ecological communities. Mulberries in the Rain explores these vital connections, combining evocative storytelling with detailed crop profiles and permaculture design tools to mentor and inspire you.Central to permaculture is the art of creating beneficial relationships crafting inherently regenerative food systems modeled on nature. As growers, we tend to interpret this idea literallythink companion planting, edible ecosystems, and food forests. Where do social relations and community building fit in?Authors and permaculture experts Ryan Blosser and Trevor Piersol: Demystify plant guilds, showing how to create biodiverse, low-maintenance ecological systems Integrate tried and tested permaculture frameworks such as the Scale of Permanence and the Ecology of Self with tools from economics, mental health, and other disciplines Provide cultivation primers for permaculture plants classified according to function, identifying outstanding anchor plants, nitrogen fixers, barrier plants, beneficial attractors, and dynamic accumulators Use plant narratives to illustrate how our inner landscapes are inextricably intertwined with the way we show up in the world. This unique, beautifully illustrated handbook breaks new ground in social permaculture while providing a deep hands-on dive into creating thriving foodscapes. Required reading for anyone who seeks a deeper connection to people and place and a more resilient future.

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Book SynopsisPatrick Watson is currently South Africa's most innovative and versatile landscape architect. Known for designing extensive mega-sites, such as Sun City and an entire Indian Ocean Island, he is also the creator of exquisite small home gardens and quiet spaces for reflection, such as at the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg.

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Book SynopsisThis title is a practical guide to designing and planting your garden, with 15 plans and over 200 inspirational pictures. It helps how to successfully plan a garden, from a large family space to patios, balconies and even roof gardens. It contains advice, tips and great ideas on the basics of good garden design, as well as how to create a style that suits your needs. It offers over 15 plans for well-planned gardens, with stunning photographs showing them in all their glory. It gives step-by-step guidance on a range of hands-on projects, including constructing a trellis, building overheads, creating shade, and installing garden lights. It is an inspirational and practical book that will guide you from drawing your first plans through to planting preferences and adding the finishing touches. Often gardening is about maintaining the status quo, but sometimes it is about new plans and a change of design. This book will guide you through such exciting opportunities, offering help and advice on how to make the most of your garden shape and size, planning the different areas and elements, and filling the new spaces with exactly the right planting schemes for you. Divided into three sections, the book first takes you through initial surveying, basic patterns and different kinds of design. The next chapter gives guidance on boundaries, walling, creating shape and focal points and other practicalities. The last chapter offers ideas and projects to follow for gardens, patios, balconies and roof gardens, ranging from entertaining areas to chill-out zones, and different styles from elegant formality to an enchanted jungle. Illustrated throughout with 200 images, this is an invaluable guide to garden planning.

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Book SynopsisThe essential elements of a dry Japanese garden are few: rocks, gravel, moss. Simultaneously a sensual matrix, a symbolic form and a memory theatre, these gardens exhibit beautiful miniaturization and precise craftsmanship. However, their apparent minimalism belies a deeper complexity. In Zen Landscapes, Allen S. Weiss takes readers on a journey through these exquisite sites, explaining how Japanese gardens must be approached according to the play of scale, surroundings and seasons, as well as in relation to other arts, thus revealing them as living landscapes rather than abstract designs. These gardens are inspired by the Zen aesthetics of the tea ceremony, manifested in poetry, painting, calligraphy, architecture, cuisine and ceramics. Japanese art favours suggestion and allusion, valuing the threshold between the distinct and the inchoate, between figuration and abstraction, and Weiss argues that ceramics play a crucial role here, relating as much to the site-specificity of landscape as to the ritualized codes of the tea ceremony and the everyday gestures of the culinary table. With more than 100 stunning colour photographs, Zen Landscapes is the first in-depth study in the West to examine the correspondences between gardens and ceramics. A fascinating look at landscape art and its relation to the customs and craftsmanship of the Japanese arts, it will appeal to readers interested in landscape design and Japan's art and culture.

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Book Synopsis'Designer Matt Keightley's first book is a thing of beauty and a valuable source of design inspiration - a stylish guide to a stylish garden.' - Gardens Illustrated Do you want your outdoor space to look as stylish and as well designed as your home? RHS Design Outdoors will give you the ideas and know-how you need to make that happen. Award-winning designer Matt Keightley has curated a collection of 35 gardens, created either by him or by other leading contemporary designers, that will provide the inspiration to transform your outdoor space. Gardeners features include award-winning designers Jo Thompson, Tom Stuart Smith, Tony Woods, Charlotte Rowe and Andrew Wilson. For each case study there is a detailed plan, information on the plants and materials used and a wealth of gorgeous photography by leading garden photographer Marianne Majerus.The designs are organized into five categories: Showstoppers at Home - high-design concepts that are nonetheless achievable; Family-friendly - gardens that incorporate play areas and socialising; Minimalist - spaces with larger areas of hard landscaping and bold, restrained planting; Plants First - gardens where more than half of the outdoor space is planted; and Other Spaces - roof terraces, basement areas and front gardens. This wide array of garden styles means that there is inspiration for all types of garden, and for all types of gardener.

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Book Synopsis'Brings both house and garden vividly to life... A magnificent achievement' Gardens Illustrated 'A finely crafted work... it is an important record of the history of one of the country's most splendid estates' The English Garden The Palladian house of Stourhead, in Wiltshire, occupies a plateau above the confluence of three valleys. When you cross the south lawn and descend the tree-hung slopes, you glimpse a lake adorned with classical temples. Continue and you will find an allegorical grotto; a gothick hideaway; a Pantheon of demi-gods and, on high, a deserted temple to Apollo. To the west Alfred's Tower commands views over three counties, a gaunt landmark to English monarchy and patriotism. This is how in Georgian times Henry Hoare – known as Henry the Magnificent – would have explored the garden he designed. Generations of the Hoare family, bankers who combined service with enlightened patronage and philanthropy, have developed and cultivated the garden at Stourhead, and for many its breathtaking vistas are paradise. Dudley Dodd charts the owners of Stourhead and the history of the landscape, house and art collection. He describes how flights of folly, individual flair, taste and careful stewardship have nurtured a national treasure, which is among the finest English landscape gardens and, since 1946, a jewel of The National Trust. The stunning new pictures by the renowned photographer Marianne Majerus provide an up to date record of this enduring Elysium.Trade ReviewBrings both house and garden vividly to life... It makes for a gripping family saga. What is wonderful about this book is its range [...] and Dodd is especially good at setting the garden in context. A magnificent achievement * Gardens Illustrated *Dodd [is] meticulous and skilful. This is a finely crafted work and its telling illuminated by magnificent images of the property. It makes a wonderful addition to a library but it is also an important record of the history of one of the country's most splendid estates * The English Garden *Going through such a comprehensive account, Dudley Dodd gives the background and context that is needed to fully enjoy this amazing landscape garden, and brings Stourhead's story to alive * Country Gardener *With sketches, plans and stunning photography by the renowned photographer Marianne Majerus, this book will appeal to those who know and love the gardens as well as those who are yet to visit * Wiltshire Living *Dudley Dodd captures the beauty and history of the Palladian jewel in Wiltshire and its colourful owners, the Hoares, who acquired the house in 1717 and used their wealth, creativity and taste to nurture the fine gardens we see today * Daily Mail *Using original and other contemporary artworks and references, a detailed picture of how the owners of Stourhead developed their vision and nurtured it is entertainingly and painstakingly presented * Garden News *A beautiful coffee table book for anyone with a interest in plant and natural photography, the history of British gardens and architecture and more, it comes highly recommended * Amateur Photographer *A beautiful illustrated guide to its history, with photos, plans and sketches of the Eden once described as "more beautiful than any landscape put on canvas"' * i News *Captures the stunning vision of Henry Hoare * The Lady *Written by Dudley Dodd and featuring beautiful new images by renowned photographer Marianne Majerus, Stourhead: Henry Hoare's Paradise Revisited offers a comprehensive visual history of this celebrated landscape, its famous Palladian house and art collection * Outdoor Photography *A book in which there is so much visual richness to enjoy * Home & Garden *Dudley Dodd, a figure from the golden days of the National Trust, is the perfect guide * House & Garden *

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Book SynopsisHumphry Repton (1752-1818) remains one of England's most interesting and prolific garden and landscape designers. Renowned for his innovative design proposals and distinctive before-and-after images, captured in his famous "Red Books," Repton's astonishing career represents the link between the simple parklands of his predecessor Capability Brown and the more elaborate, structured, and formal landscapes of the Victorian age. This lavishly illustrated book, based on a wealth of new research, reinterprets Repton's life, working methods, and designs, and examines why they proved so popular in a rapidly changing world.Trade Review"Humphry Repton, from Jane Austen's world, took a totally different approach. An elegant new life of him by Williamson sheds more light on his working methods than earlier studies. . . . Repton bridged the gap between Capability Brown and the high horticulture of the Victorians and was the first to call himself a landscape gardener. Comfort and practicality were his watchwords and he was as interested in small places as grand ones. There is a lovely chapter on 'Domesticity and Cheerfulness' and many useful design precepts." -- Mary Keen * Daily Telegraph * "A finely produced and beautifully illustrated look at Repton's career. Scholarly yet readable, it's a must-have book for any enthusiast of garden history." -- Tim Richardson * Gardens Illustrated * "Often eclipsed in landscape studies by Capability Brown, the earlier designer's self-styled successor is seen here as a practitioner of genius with a system, meticulously followed. The author goes beyond the Red Books to explore influences on Repton, assess collaborative work with his architect son and set the designs within the context of a turbulent age. Copiously illustrated, this is the most important book on Peacock's Mr Milestone for two decades." -- Timothy Mowl * Country Life * "Richly illustrated with examples from Repton's Red Books and concluding with extensive references and a bibliography, this volume sets Repton and his work firmly in the life and times of the late 1700s-early 1800s in a book that will appeal to those who enjoy reading about garden designers of the past, or garden history." * Library Journal * "It's sobering to think that Humphry Repton, the English landscape gardener second only in fame to Capability Brown, began his career a year before the Tennis Court Oath was taken in Paris. Cheerful Britain was obviously a world away from bloody France, and Repton took advantage of the calm political situation and rising professional class to undertake much impressive work in the early 1790s. Alas, 'events, dear boy' caught up with him as Britain's war with France began in 1793. Political uncertainty, accompanied by tax increases, caused Repton's output to slow. This 'Age of Revolution' is the background to Williamson's impressive book on Repton, out from Reaktion Books and helpfully illustrated with 136 images, 114 of which are in color." * New Criterion * "A fitting tribute to the designer and a celebration of the man who has for so long . . . been lurking in the shrubbery shadows of his predecessor Lancelot Brown. . . . It is, without doubt, the most important study of Repton to appear since Daniels's magisterial 1999 volume, one that displays a wealth of new research which has been marshalled with thoughtfulness, curiosity, and intellectual dexterity to produce a forensic analysis of a complex man and his landscape aesthetic. Reaktion have produced it beautifully, with copious illustrations that enrich and underscore an effortlessly accessible text. I doubt it will be bettered and it deserves to become required reading for anyone, general reader and garden history aficionado alike, interested in the polite arts of Regency England." -- Timothy Mowl * Garden History * "This is an important book on Repton, and a tour de force in the social and economic analysis of garden design. Williamson has an unparalleled grasp of what's at stake in the making of gardens, and a keen sense of Repton's role in the reimagining of designed landscape. He combines meticulous scholarship with an eye for the telling detail, and his handling of the economics and aesthetics of gardening is unparalleled. Combined with an inspired account of Repton's friendships and influences, [Williamson's scholarship] offers us valuable insights into the gardening world that Repton both inhabited and made." -- Stephen Bending, director of the Southampton Centre for Eighteenth Century Studies, University of Southampton "Repton's imagination of the English landscape was incomparable. He was its artist, sculptor, and designer. Williamson admirably charts the evolution of that imagination from the age of Capability Brown through to the aesthetic upheavals of the Regency, always setting it in the social and architectural context of the day. With England's landscape under unprecedented threat, so clear a championship of Repton's work is exceptionally valuable." -- Sir Simon Jenkins, former chairman of the National Trust and author of "England's Hundred Best Views" "This is the most considered account to date of Humphry Repton's principles, or 'system,' of landscape gardening. It draws on the mass of material that Williamson has collected himself in his numerous countywide surveys, and also the publications of County Gardens Trusts in Repton's bicentenary year, all melded together with Williamson's many insights in his usual lively style. Repton's observations and hints on landscape design are of enduring interest, and anyone wishing to understand why this should be so would be advised to immerse themselves in this book." -- David Jacques, garden and landscape historian, author of "Landscape Appreciation: Theories since the Cultural Turn"

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Book Synopsis'A world-renowned horticultural tour de force, Arabella Lennox-Boyd is one of the most accomplished landscape designers of our time' House and Garden 'Arabella Lennox-Boyd's memoir-like account is a complete joy to read as well as to look at... A must' Country Life 'Testament to an extraordinarily creative and blooming life' Tatler Arabella Lennox-Boyd is one of the foremost garden designers in the world. She has created some of the country's most stunning private gardens, in addition to commissions for the Serpentine Sackler Gallery and projects for Sting and Trudie Styler. Looking back over her extraordinary career, Arabella takes us on a tour of the gardens that have had a particular interest or meaning to her. She describes the inspirations that led to the final design and plant combination. Famed for her herbaceous borders and a passionate collector of plants and shrubs, Arabella imparts her expert wisdom on planting and offers practical advice on landscaping. The book will be illustrated with beautiful photography and accompanied by Arabella's sketches and planting plans.Trade ReviewGardens in My Life is a personal journey... Particularly vivid are the descriptions of Arabella's childhood holidays in Oliveto... This instilled in her a deep and lasting love of nature that has provided a rich seam of inspiration. This book is a compelling testament to that' * House & Garden *It's a book that will no doubt adorn the coffee tables in the grand houses she was first inspired by when she arrived in London. And it's a testament to an extraordinarily creative and blooming life * Tatler *Arabella Lennox-Boyd's memoir-like account is a complete joy to read as well as to look at... A must' * Country Life *This beautiful book, by one of the most accomplished garden designers of our time, looks back over Arabella's extraordinary career and the gardens that have had particular interest or meaning to her... Alongside breath-taking photography are Arabella's fascinating sketches and planting plans' * The Home Page *Disarmingly candid memoir from a 'grande dame' of garden design, filled with pragmatic insights into the practical business of being a designer * Gardens Illustrated *[Lennox-Boyd is] an engaging, graceful writer with a straightforward, almost modest style -- Anne Swithinbank, World of InteriorsWildly romantic, atmospheric and often festooned with roses, Arabella Lennox-Boyd designs are celebrated with gusto in this exploration of her work. From her own garden in Tuscany, to those in Britain and beyond, it's heady, aspirational stuff. Wonderful for luxuriating in on a wet winter afternoon, the mix of conversational anecdote and description of the thinking behind each garden makes for an enjoyable read. I particularly appreciated the 'masterplan' overhead drawings, which help the reader to orientate themselves within each garden -- Rachel de Thame, The TimesA nostalgic look back at her career and the private gardens that have had a particular interest or meaning to her * Landscape Magazine *

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Book SynopsisThe ultimate celebration of England’s most gorgeous gardens, showcasing their enduring appeal from historic masterpieces to individual creations of today The English Gardener’s Garden spans seven centuries to spotlight over 60 of England’s finest gardens. Adapted from Phaidon’s bestselling The Gardener’s Garden, updated, and organized geographically by county, the selection ranges from formal Renaissance gardens, herbaceous Arts and Crafts gardens of the 20th century, to artistic creations and healing gardens by contemporary designers. Each entry is illustrated with sumptuous photographs and features a concise text detailing the garden’s historical and stylistic importance and that of its designer, patron, or maker, creating a beautiful and easy-to-use introduction for garden designers and enthusiasts alike. A valuable resource for those seeking inspiration on garden design and planting – and the ideal gift for garden-lovers – this book showcases the enduring appeal of the English garden and features gardens by historic figures and leading contemporary designers – Gertrude Jekyll, Sarah Price, William Robinson, and Tom Stuart-Smith, to name a few. Featuring historic national treasures such as Sissinghurst Castle Garden and Capability Brown’s Blenheim Palace, alongside contemporary examples including Dan Pearson’s Lowther Castle and Derek Jarman’s Prospect Cottage, The English Gardener's Garden is an accessible overview of over 60 iconic and influential English gardens from the sixteenth century to the present day, including all types of garden, including formal parterres, cottage gardens, botanical, and urban gardens. A valuable resource for those seeking inspiration on garden design and planting – and the ideal gift for garden-loversTrade Review‘[Will] provide some excellent inspiration for the green-fingered people in your life.’ – TimeOut'A tribute to Britain's national passion for cultivating ornamental plants.' – NPR.org ‘A welcome addition to any Anglophile gardener’s library. It is part inspirational tome and part armchair travel experience with gorgeous photography to linger over.’ – Gardenista‘A must-have title for gardeners and for those who love viewing the natural beauty that others have primed, nurtured, and developed. A likely favorite in every gardening section.’ – Library Journal

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Book SynopsisThe 18th-century phenomenon of the English Landscape Garden was so widespread that even today, when so much has been built over or otherwise changed, one is never far from an example throughout England. Although seemingly natural, the English Landscape Garden was generally the result of considerable contrivance, effort and design skill, the result of `the art that conceals art’. It might involve digging lakes, raising or levelling hills, and planting trees, sometimes in vast numbers. Nature was arranged and shown to best advantage. The English landscape garden took many forms, and the variety of manifestations was and remains remarkable. A great number survive, if sometimes in modified form, and can be visited and appreciated. The book is structured so as to give the background to, and motivation for, creating the landscape garden; to summarise the chronology of its development; to chart the most significant writers and theorists; and to consider the range of the many forms it took. The story of the landscape garden is complex, multi-layered and constantly changing in emphasis for such an apparently simple and straightforward construct. This book will help to uncover some of the richness that lies behind a meaningful part of the environment. The book can be regarded as a companion to the volume already published by Historic England, The English Landscape Garden in Europe.Trade ReviewReviews'An authority on the 18th-century garden, the author clearly sees both trees and woods—and, indeed, the whole purview of how and why English gardens assumed such a central role in the Enlightenment—making his latest work an excellent introduction to the subject.’ Tiffany Daneff, Country Life'Symes does an excellent job of synthesizing a large body of research and allowing the reader to distinguish the wood from the trees: the detail is there, but the bigger picture is to the fore. [...] Symes’s book provides an excellent and engaging overview of its subject: one that will satisfy many readers and encourage others to find out more.' Jon Stobart, Agricultural History ReviewTable of Contents1. The 18th century and the landscape garden 2. The evolution of the landscape garden 3. Theorists and writers 4. Extensive, rural or forest gardening 5. The `artinatural’ garden 6. Garden iconography 7. William Kent and the pictorial garden 8. The poetic or literary garden 9. The mid-century circuit garden 10. Plantings 11. The ferme ornée 12. The terrace walk 13. `Capability’ Brown and the Brownians 14. The Picturesque and Sublime 15. Repton and a new direction 16. Legacy

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Book SynopsisA showcase of Britain's most extraordinary gardens and landscapes from the twentieth century to present day. 100 20th-Century Gardens and Landscapes highlights the evolution of gardens and landscapes over the past century, tracing how these distinctive creations complemented buildings of their period. Entries in this book are grouped in chronological periods, documenting changing styles and techniques in a visual timeline. The examples chosen take the story from the Arts and Crafts garden and the garden city, through the landscapes created for mid-century housing and the new towns, to the low-maintenance gardens of the 1980s and contemporary trends for community and wildlife gardens. Designed landscapes were often integral to the conception of twentieth-century developments; the inclusion of a handful of particularly successful landscapes for memorial gardens, offices, industry, transport and parks demonstrate a changing attitude to public green space during the century and its increasing importance as private gardens have become ever smaller. Designers and architects such as Piet Oudolf, Charles Jencks, Frederick Gibberd, Geoffrey Jellicoe, Vita Sackville-West and Gertrude Jekyll are all featured, alongside more detailed essays on the history of gardens, planting styles, the importance of modern landscapes, and the career of Geoffrey Jellicoe. The text is written by architectural, landscape and garden historians including Elain Harwood, Barbara Simms and Alan Powers. Beautifully illustrated throughout with photography, illustrations and garden plans, this book is ideal for gardeners and landscape lovers alike.Trade Review'Refreshingly wide in scope … intelligent and thought-provoking' -- The Times'This enjoyable and colourful guided tour through landscapes from the Arts and Crafts via the Barbican to Derek Jarman’s Dungeness cottage might make an enticing gazetteer for a summer spent closer to home than usual.' * Financial Times *'A catalogue of private and public gardens that well illustrates how garden design and landscape architecture emerged together during that century.' -- George Plumptre * Daily Telegraph *'A shorthand way to appreciate the way garden designers, town planners, landscape architects and others help shape the world around us. And that is certainly worth celebrating.' * The Garden *'Casts a much needed light on why it is so important now to discuss, protect and preserve these spaces' * Rakesprogress magazine *'An absorbing history of a much-loved but much overlooked part of our lives' * Reclaim Magazine *

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Book SynopsisThis book presents a chronological review of garden design which both simplifies the big picture and supplies a rationale, with examples, of the merits and demerits of each design period while reflecting on the social conditions which generated each one. It gathers together design ideas and their implementation over the last 500 years, presented in historical order and simplified to allow easy digestion by the reader, particularly if meeting the subject for the first time. As such the book demystifies history and identifies the relative importance of new approaches in design, particularly where they are seen to be progressive. Essential examples from each design period or style are included, based upon their contribution to the progress of design and relating to their value, particularly in the teaching of garden and landscape design principles. Thus the reader will be able to quickly grasp the essence of historical design styles, discover where they can go to see them for themselves and to appreciate how relevant they are to present day theories of design.By concentrating on Britain's own heritage the book offers a sound understanding of influences and thereby helps to inform design practice. Since the principles of design are universal, it will be of relevance in many countries throughout the world. The book is illustrated with photographs, diagrams and plans, creating a readily-accessible and informative volume.Trade Review'Anyone looking around a park, a garden or an estate landscape, wondering how and why it came to be like it is, needs this book. ...such impressive detail and knowledge. ... There's a sense of being in the hands of a very competent no-nonsense teacher with his eye on the ball. It's so clear, informative and concise. ...this book is added value. It makes you think as well as look. An education, in fact.' Gloucestershire Gardens & Landscape Trust Newsletter 'Gordon Haynes identifies principal designers during the period, extant examples, and the principal components, before going on to discuss in detail the history and design, contextualising the features which define the stage using pictures and photographs where possible to illustrate his points.' ProLandscaper 'I am very impressed with this very comprehensive and ordered publication concentrating on our British landscape history. I particularly like the way it covers the specific architecture and landscape features of the period and relevant historical landscape, in a way that none of the other texts we currently have on our reading lists really cover. ...it also fills in many gaps with the less known therefore providing us with a detailed and comprehensive resource and account of our landscape history.' Senior Lecturer, Leeds Metropolitan University, UK '...a beautiful book that is ideal for touring the rich history of the British garden and landscape architecture... The book is of course also suitable as teaching material about history, with an extensive bibliography for further study. ...a pleasant book...' Blauwe Kamer '...will open eyes and minds and encourage designers and students alike to look deeper into the subject of garden history. ...it will give them an insight into garden history, this being extremely important'. Garden Design Journal '...Gordon Haynes... seeks to acquaint the reader with the relationship between good landscapes and examples drawn from history. ...this book is the ideal companion for travelers to Britain who enjoy touring famous country houses'. Chicago Botanic Garden '...an account (and an extraordinarily wide-ranging one) of garden styles in Britain from 1500 to the present day, but it is also a pithy critique of attempts, particularly in recent years, to categorise and conserve the best parks and gardens that survive from the parst. ... It is written with great good humour and in a relaxed, non-academic style. Although primarily appealing to readers who are relatively new to garden history or conservation, even the most jaded of experts will surely enjoy this fresh approach'. Historic Gardens Review 'It is refreshing to find a book on the history of landscape and garden design which focuses on British gardens. ... I enjoyed this romp through garden history, which clearly explains the differences between the various garden design periods without going into too much detail or theory. ...anyone with a curiosity or love of garden design in the UK would find this an admirable reference aid.' Dorset Garden Trust Newsletter

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Book Synopsis"What a super book! Great photos, and such interesting facts - it all makes a fascinating read." Christine Walkden, BBC-TV and Radio 4 Gardening Expert "This is a wonderful book, tracing the history of the family firm and the marvellous structures they created, in great detail. There are detailed accounts of 40 of the firm's most prestigious structures, stunningly photographed by professional garden photographer Jennifer Lilly. There is even a detailed chronological gazetteer of all the known Pulhamite sites. Definitely a must for your Christmas present list and garden history bookshelf." Hazelle Jackson, Heritage Consultant London Landscapes Autumn/Winter 2012 "It is excellent... A brilliant piece of work - I thoroughly recommend it." Peter Seabrook, Gardening Writer and Broadcaster Amateur Gardening "The result of many years' patient research, pulling together fascinating information on the Pulhams' work, which extended from grand gardens such as Sandringham and Waddesdon to modest suburban villas." The Times "A Charming Labour of Love, this offers everything you could wish to know about Pulhamite - and probably much more... The photographs are superb, the research exhaustive and the gazetteer makes it invaluable for the study, restoration and maintenance of Pulhamite features in 19th to early 20th-century gardens." BBC Gardens Illustrated This book tells the story of James Pulham & Son, the eminent family of Victorian and Edwardian landscape artists who specialised in the construction of picturesque rock gardens, ferneries, follies and grottoes. The book covers more than four generations of the family business that was also responsible for the manufacture of extremely high-quality terracotta garden ornaments including fountains, vases, sundials and bulastrading. The rock gardens, for which the firm are mainly remembered today, were built with 'artifical' rocks - formed from heaps of old bricks and rubble, coated with cement, and sculpted to simulate the colour and texture of natural stone. The author's interest in James Pulham & Son stems from the fact that no fewer than five of his ancestors worked for the company as 'rock builders'. Features many incredibly famous locations, including Buckingham Palace, Sandringham, Heatherden Hall, Waddesdon Manor, Battersea Park, Friar Park and RHS Garden Wisley.Trade ReviewCountry Life 'This is a very desirable book, which at last accords the Pulham dynasty its proper share of fame for its wonderful and lasting contribution to the history of garden-making. It is a mine of information for the research and visitor, and can surely never be superceded.'

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Book SynopsisLandscape design isn't so much about rules that guarantee to create the 'perfect design every time', but rather it is a series of guidelines and suggestions that will help to save time and money, as well as generally reduce the frustrations that many design forms often lead to. This ia a title filled with such guidelines, some for the new home owner to help with the many 'first time garden' situations and pitfalls that tend to arise, as well as some for the more experienced home owner who is being challenged with alterations, changes in garden styles or themes or simply looking at old sites in a new light. Combine this with dozens of ideas, plant and hard landscape suggestions, as well as numerous beautiful photographs, which help foster imaginative yet personalised designs, it becomes a book that will help the informed, adventurous, beginner or even laid-back home owner to create beautiful and distinctive surroundings to their homes. Beautifully and simply set out, it takes the home owner through a series of logical yet important steps intended to make garden designing a joy rather than a mystery or frustration - dealing with such aspects as site analysis, plant functions and choices, hard landscape options, thoughts on garden revamping, as well as realistic scenarios for costing a project and pointers on where to find professional assistance if stuck with a problem. Aspects such as water-saving concepts, ways to encourage wild life, and thoughts on environmental or regional approaches to garden design are also included.

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Book SynopsisThis book is a must-have resource complete with 23 professionally designed, easy-to-execute landscape plans. Author Maggie Clayton thoughtfully applies her philosophy that gardening should be enjoyable and that there is an ideal design for every gardener''s needs--regardless of experience. Beautifully illustrated and cleary explained, these plans focus on transforming challenging front yards into ideal spaces. Each plan uses commonly available plants and allows gardeners to landscape in stages according to time, budget and desire--a perfect resource for anyone landscaping a new property or reviving a tired one.

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Book SynopsisDividing the county of Hertfordshire into four broad regions—the “champion” countryside in the north, the Chiltern dip slope to the west, the fertile boulder clays of the east, and the unwelcoming London Clay in the south—this volume explains how, in the course of the middle ages, natural characteristics influenced the development of land use and settlement to create a range of distinctive landscapes. The great diversity of Hertfordshire’s landscapes makes it a particularly rewarding area of study. Variations in farming economies, in patterns of trade and communication, as well as in the extent of London’s influence, have all played a part during the course of the postmedieval centuries, and Hertfordshire’s continuing evolution is followed into the 21st century. Lavishly illustrated with maps and photographs, this authoritative work is invaluable reading for all those with an interest in the history, archaeology, and natural transformation of this fascinating county.Table of Contents1 A county in context 2 Hertfordshire's 'champion' landscapes 3 The landscape of east Hertfordshire 4 The landscape of west Hertfordshire 5 The landscape of south Hertfordshire 6 Woods, parks and pastures 7 Traditional buildings 8 Great houses and designed landscapes 9 Urban and industrial landscapes 10 Suburbs and New Towns, 1870 - 1970

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Book SynopsisA fascinating look at the life, influences, techniques and works of 18th-century landscape gardener Lancelot 'Capability' Brown. His transformation of unpromising countryside into beautiful parks changed the face of a nation and created a landscape style which for many of us defines the English countryside. One of the most remarkable men of the 18th century, Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown was known to many as ‘The Omnipotent Magician’ who could transform unpromising countryside into beautiful parks that seemed to be only the work of nature. His list of clients included half the House of Lords, six Prime Ministers and even royalty. Although his fame has dimmed, we still enjoy many of his works today at National Trust properties such as Croome Park, Petworth, Berrington, Stowe, Wimpole, Blenheim Palace, Highclere Castle (location of the ITV series Downton Abbey) and many more. In Capability Brown, author and garden historian Sarah Rutherford tells his triumphant story, uncovers his aims and reveals why he was so successful. Illustrated throughout with colour photographs of contemporary sites, historical paintings and garden plans, this is an accessible book for anyone who wants to know more about the man who changed the face of the nation and created a landscape style which for many of us defines the English countryside.

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Book SynopsisLeading landscape architect Kim Wilkie is revered for his unusual vision and his acute grasp of how people have moulded their environment over the centuries. This updated version of his classic book, Led by the Land, has been expanded to include fresh thoughts on farming and settlement and new projects, both huge and intimate, from the designs for new cities in Oman and England to the Swansea Maggie's Centre, and from plans for London's Natural History Museum grounds to the sculptural setting of a furniture factory in Leamington Spa. Wilkie has taken his genius to many parts of the world - including the United States, Chile, Russia, Transylvania, Italy, the Middle East, the very edge of the Arctic Circle, as well as the British Isles - but to each undertaking he brings the same approach of reverence for the land and the creatures that inhabit it. He does not impose his inspiration on it but interacts with it. He allows the land to lead him. Led by the Land ruminates on our species' place in the environment, the way past masters have fashioned it and the hopes for our future fruitful connections and offers not only a rich account of an unusual talent, but also an optimistic vision for our future.Trade Review"A revelatory survey of how landscapes in human hands can become moving, inhabited works of art, written by one of the most gifted of today's landscape architects." -- Sir David Attenborough"For landscape designers of the 1970s and 1980s, Geoffrey and Susan Jellicoe's The Landscape of Man was a touchstone. Many have since tried to reproduce something of its profundity, and Kim Wilkie comes close with Led by the Land." -- Tim Richardson * Gardens Illustrated *"The complex challenges of designing a garden that’s at one with the natural landscape is the subject of British landscape architect Kim Wilkie’s Led by the Land. First published in 2012 and considered a garden classic, [this is] an updated, expanded version featuring some of Wilkie’s recent design projects as well as his musings on farming and settlement. * Irish Times Gardening Books of the Year *"Wilkie’s book ruminates on our species’ place in the environment, the way past masters have fashioned it and the hopes for our future fruitful connections. It is in many ways an inspirational book, leading us gently into a greater understanding of our landscape and our place in it. It offers not only a rich account of an unusual talent but also an optimistic vision of our future." * Reckless Gardener *

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Book SynopsisText with fully-integrated illustrations which are mainly photographs showing different varieties and habitats, the nuts in their different stages of growth; processing for oil; uses of the timber; the walnut in art; culinary use including a collection of recipes. Practical advice on choosing, planting, maintaining and pruning walnut trees. Approx 80 colour illustrations plus b&w archive prints and drawings. Further reading list. Suppliers. Index.

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Book Synopsis'A brilliant and inspirational starter kit for anyone who wants to make a garden to suit their own needs.' - Alan TitchmarshAlthough excited by the prospect of moving into their own home for the first time, many people are mystified at the thought of what to do with their outdoor space. Frances Tophill's fuss-free, practical guide shows you how to create a space outside your own back door that's designed by you, built by you and enjoyed by you. Beginning with advice on getting to know your garden - what type of soil you have, what the drainage and light is like - then on getting to know yourself as a gardener - do you want a vegetable patch, an abundance of flowers or simply an extension of your indoor living space? - and then moving on to the practical design, including hard and soft landscaping and building materials and guidance, Frances guides you through different types of plants and how to source and plant them. There is also a section on aftercare, telling you the best way to keep your garden well cared for and easy to maintain throughout the year.

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Book SynopsisGarden design in England was entirely reinvented during the eighteenth century. The strictly symmetrical gardens of the French Baroque were replaced by artificial landscapes almost indistinguishable from natural scenery. What continues to govern our notions of a beautiful landscape, even today, is the ideal image of nature conceived by eighteenth-century English landscape gardeners. Hans von Trotha's journey through the history of the English garden introduces us to twelve of the most important, original, and beautiful parks in Britain, all of which can be visited today. On the way, we learn how the new landscape garden was born of the spirit of political opposition. We also learn the significance of imitation Greek temples and Gothic ruins. The foreword presents a historical outline of the origins of the English garden.

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Book SynopsisThe word penjing can be roughly translated from the Chinese as "potted scenery." It is the original, older form of the art of bonsai. Penjing aims to embody entire natural scenes within individual works. Penjing is sometimes described as Chinese landscape painting in three dimensions. It aims to make viewers feel as though they were really in nature, contemplating the ripples on the surface of a lake or sheltering from the sun in the shade of a tree. It is an art form that is still, yet full of dynamic energy, embodying the natural beauty of trees, stones, and water. The book gives detailed guidance and instruction to those who wish to create a vivid miniature landscape of their own. It also describes the creation process of several outstanding examples of forest penjing, with accompanying photographs from each stage of their “journey” towards completion.Meant for beginners and experts alike, the information and techniques outlined in this book can help sow the seed of a new love for penjing or to refine the craft of a seasoned penjing designer.Table of ContentsForewordPrefaceChapter I The Beauty of Forest Penjing1. Natural and Ecological Beauty2. Poetic BeautyChapter II Techniques of Forest Penjing Production1. Types of Natural Forests2. Material Selection for Forest Penjing3. Forms of Forest Penjing4. Tools and Instruments5. Source Material Processing6. Making Forest Penjing Chapter III Artistic Principals of Forest Penjing1. Differentiating Between Primary and Secondary2. Deciding on Orientation and Angle3. Density Variation4. Leaving Blank Space5. Producing an Echoing Harmony6. Creating Harmonious Competition7. Tempering Hardness with Softness8. Balancing Light and Heavy9. Being Both Bold and Refined10. Balancing Between Concealing and Revealing11. Improving the Creator’s Comprehensive QualityChapter IV Care and Maintenance of Forest Penjing 1. Placement 2. Watering3. Fertilizing4. Pruning5. Shaping6. Repotting7. Pests and DiseasesChapter V Works of Forest Penjing1. Sunlight Slanting Through a Thin Forest (Japanese Maple)2. Spring Running Wild (Flowering Quince)3. Autumn Colors (Japanese Maple)4. Spring Blossoms and Autumn Fruits (Pomegranate)5. Dancing Mountain Forest (Trident Maple)6. Listening to Spring Water (Five-Needle Pine)Chapter VI Display of Forest Penjing1. Outdoor Display2. Indoor Display

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisAs recent years have seen alarming declines of insect and bird populations in many states, more gardeners have discovered the importance of including native plants in order to nurture these pollinators and sustain local ecosystems. But when so many popular landscaping designs involve exotic cultivars and invasive plant species, how can you create a garden that is both aesthetically pleasing and ecologically responsible? In this fully revised second edition of the classic guide Designing Gardens with Flora of the American East, gardening expert Carolyn Summers draws upon the most recent research on sustainable landscaping. She is joined in this edition by her daughter, landscape designer Kate Brittenham, offering an intergenerational dialogue about the importance of using indigenous plants that preserve insect and bird habitats. The practical information they provide is equally useful for home gardeners and professionals, including detailed descriptions of keystone trees, shrubs, perennials, vines, and grasses that are native to the Eastern United States. Accompanied by entirely new illustrations and updated plant lists, they offer chic yet eco-friendly landscape designs fully customized for different settings, from suburban yards to corporate office parks. The states covered in this book are CT, DE, IA, IL, IN, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, TN, VA, VT, WI, and WV, as well as southern Quebec and Ontario.

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