Description
Book Synopsis'RHS Small Garden Handbook...show[s] the process of planning, planting and maintaining an outdoor space that will lift your heart every time you step outside.' - The Independent
'Clear and practical principles of design' - BBC Gardens Illustrated
A garden offers invaluable space for relaxing entertaining, and, above all, enjoying the huge pleasure of growing your own flowers, shrubs, trees, and crops. However, a small garden can present challenges to even the most experience gardener: it may be overlooked, which can impact upon your privacy; there may be more shade than you would like; and it may not be immediately obvious how to create a space that is both multifunctional and beautiful.
RHS Small Garden Handbook provides an all-in-one guide for small space gardeners and draws on the experience in growing, planting, landscaping and design for which the RHS is world famous. It begins by explaining how to assess your plot so that you are aware of the soil, orientation, microclimate, existing materials and proportions that you have to work with, before revealing the principles of good design. Showing how your decisions on layout, colour and texture will affect the finished design and what tricks can be played to create a greater sense of space - with everything from expert design advice on boundaries, hedges and fences to clever ideas for containers and storage - every gardener will gain confidence in creating a garden to enjoy no matter how big the plot. Each of the nine chapters includes 15 ways to make instant improvements and a real-life case study to inspire change. All the gardens featured in the book's 300 photographs are accessible, achievable and truly inspirational.
Contents Include:
Basics
Design Styles
Materials
Boundaries
Structures
Water
Planting
Upkeep
... and much, much more!
Table of ContentsINTRODUCTION BASICS 15 ways to... reveal your plot's potential; Getting to know the plot; Measuring the plot; Understanding your soil; Orientation and microclimate; Identifying plants and materials; Imprinting your style; Setting your agenda; Case study: A rooftop retreat. DESIGN 15 ways to... make an instant impact; Small garden: great opportunity; Principles of design; Layout and geometry; Space, volume and structure; Boundaries and screens; Mass and void, colour and texture; Colour in your garden; Texture in your garden; Applying the principles: roof gardens, basements, terraces, alleys, entrances; Functional and spacial needs; Case study: Screening the views. STYLES 15 ways to... find your style; Formal; Modernist; Arts and crafts; Japanese; Cottage; Urban; Mediterranean; Conceptualist; Eco; Exotic; Case study: Creating a style. MATERIALS 15 ways to... exploit materials; Choosing your materials: Function and decoration; Paving slabs, concrete, brick, setts, block paving, cobbles, decking, gravel; Simple rules of construction and drainage bullet points; Changes of level: steps and slopes; Impact of construction; Decorating with materials; Case study: Mastering materials. BOUNDARIES 15 ways to... buff up your of boundaries; Setting the boundaries; Boundary materials: fences, walls; Planting and boundaries; Case study: Hardworking boundaries. STRUCTURES 15 ways to... use garden structures; Storage solutions; Garden offices and conservatories; Green roofs and raised beds; Case study: Creating privacy and depth. WATER 15 ways to... enjoy water; Water features for every garden; Case study: Wild about water. PLANTING 15 ways to... improve your planting design; Planting habitats, Planting styles: Cottage, formal, modernist, Mediterranean, Japanese, English, foliage, naturalistic, productive, minilaist, conceptualist, sustainable; Long-term and short-term thinking, Putting plants together; Plant profiles; Specimen and design statements; Planting for reduced maintenance; Case study: Planting for privacy. UPKEEP 15 ways to... simplify your gardening; Seasonal jobs and regular maintenance; Simple propagation; Compost and fertilisers; Rubbish and recycling; Case study: The low-maintenance garden. INDEX AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
