Garden Design Books
RHS ENCYCLOPEDIA OF GARDEN PLANTS
Editor-in-Chief Christopher Brickell, Dorling Kindersley, ISBN 978-1-4053-3296-5,
Published 2008, RRP £60.00
This has to be one of the
most important books for anyone from the keen amateur gardener to the professional
garden designer. Containing over 15,500 plant descriptions this publication is the
most comprehensive encyclopedia of its kind. This third edition has been updated
to include recent changes in nomenclature along with 200 new images, extension of
some genera including Nemesia and Alstroemeria and a new look at other
cultivars such as Hosta and Magnolia.
I have owned all three editions and it is always the first book consulted when researching
plants either for my own garden or a client’s. Over the years small physical
adjustments have been made, most of which make it easier to handle. The first edition
was one volume of over 1000 pages weighing 4.5kg (10lbs). This definitely made it
a weighty tome! This problem was solved in the second edition when it was split
into two volumes. The latest edition has removed the dust jacket entirely and the
two books have a very strong outer cover designed to look like a dust jacket. Unfortunately
one fairly crucial change (to me at least) has been made. Previous designs have
included Keys on the first and last pages of the book that explain references in
the text such as Pruning Groups and Frost Hardiness with the second edition having
these printed in both volumes making the information very easy to find. However
these are missing from the new edition and appear only in the front of the first
volume in amongst information on cultivation, plant groups etc; I have carefully
removed the relevant pages from my old books and stuck them in the new ones.
If you could only own one book on plants this should be the one to choose. If you
are not a gardening professional and already own a previous edition it may not be
worthwhile purchasing the latest version however professional gardeners and designers
do need to keep up with changes in nomenclature and new cultivars and this publication
is the best at covering a huge range of plants. As with any plant description book
it should always be remembered that certain aspects need to be read with some knowledge
of local growing conditions as the way plants behave (for example size) can vary
considerably not only from one part of the country to the other but also from one
neighbour’s garden to another, however this has to be the best source of written
information available.
Buy this book
© Sharon Brown
Garden Designer and Editor of www.gardendesignunlimited.co.uk
JOE’S URBAN GARDEN HANDBOOK
Joe Swift, Quadrille Publishing Limited, ISBN 978-1-84400-611-3, Published 2008,
RRP £20.00
This book is aimed primarily at
owners of urban gardens who wish to make major changes to their outdoor spaces themselves.
It gives advice on employing designers and contractors to help achieve their goals
but the main emphasis is to give the amateur all the information they need in order
to make their perfect urban oasis.
However designers who have had little or no experience of designing such spaces
should also find this book very useful. The beautiful photographs will provide plenty
of inspiration and although some can be found in other publications and magazines
the majority are previously unseen (at least by the reviewer) and illustrate the
subject matter perfectly.
Many clients do not have large budgets and it is refreshing to find a book that
keeps this in mind, showing both examples of gardens that probably cost tens of
thousands of pounds to build as well as giving helpful tips on how to improve an
existing space without spending a small fortune.
This book explores the use of materials and plants within the urban setting and
gives ideas for solutions to recurring problems such as lack of privacy, need for
storage and a wide range of uses. By simply scanning quickly through the pages it
becomes obvious that ‘urban garden’ style is the use of clean lines with minimal
amount of hard landscaping materials used in subtle combinations often softened
by clever planting. On a more detailed read, the essential design considerations
are explained and will certainly help any designer, whether professional or amateur,
to create a wonderful urban environment.
Buy this book
© Sharon Brown
Garden Designer and Editor of www.gardendesignunlimited.co.uk
GREEN ROOFS: IN SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPE DESIGN
Steven L Cantor, Norton, ISBN 978-0-393-73168-2, Published December 2008, RRP
£40.00
Green roofs are now recognised as an important component in helping to combat pollution
and reduce carbon dioxide emissions in the urban environment. Major cities around
the world are beginning to take the benefits of such systems extremely seriously.
This book, written by Steven L Cantor, a landscape architect in New York City, largely
focuses on commercial and public sites in North America with detailed case studies
from both the USA and Canada. These follow individual projects from conception through
to planting and even include plant lists for each site.
Europe, as the predecessor of green roofs in North America is given its place. Locations
from all over Europe are featured including London. I did not know that green roofs
in London began because of the black redstart! They were found to be breeding on
a proposed development site and it was decided to move their habitat from the ground
to the roof of the new buildings.
Cantor also examines the different types of green roofs from typical roof gardens
containing trees and shrubs to large expanses planted only with sedums, their methods
of construction and advantages over normal roofing. Different materials and planting
mediums are discussed and lists of suitable plants for projects are given.
Although this book is aimed mainly at the North American market any designer thinking
of undertaking a similar task should find this publication useful. Even designers
of smaller projects in this country should find the features on construction and
planting etc very useful: no matter where in the world a project is carried out
there are certain basic rules that should always be followed.
For anyone interested in sustainable landscape design and how green roofs fit into
this philosophy this book is an excellent source of information.
Buy this book
© Sharon Brown
Garden Designer and Editor of www.gardendesignunlimited.co.uk
THE VERTICAL GARDEN: FROM NATURE TO THE CITY
Patrick Blanc, Norton, ISBN 978-0393732597, RRP £32.00
This is the book anyone who
has seen Patrick’s vertical gardens either in the flesh, in magazines or on television
has been waiting for. I am sure what is on everyone’s mind is ‘How does he do it?’
But perhaps another question should be ‘Why does he do it?’
This book follows Patrick’s life story from a five-year old who is fascinated by
the tropical aquarium in his doctor’s waiting room and subsequent experiments with
aquariums at home, to becoming a scientist and researcher travelling the world studying
plants and their environment. Although initially interested in both plants and fish
Patrick was soon drawn to the world of aquatic plants and their ecosystems including
the ability of roots to filter water. It is interesting to follow the evolution
of the huge vertical gardens we see today from their origin as a wood plank covered
in sealant, followed by an old floor cloth covered in algae to the use of synthetic
recycled fabrics.
Every gardener knows one of the keys to success is choosing the right plant for
the right place. The first and largest section of this book is dedicated to plants
in their natural habitats all around the world. How, why and what plants are successful
in different locations such as waterfalls, cliffs and caves are described in detail
and illustrated with beautiful photographs. Seeing plants that gardeners grow in
soil on level ground such as Hosta, thriving on wet rocks bordering waterfalls was
an eye-opener.
The second section concentrates on both the beneficial and detrimental effects plants
can have when growing on buildings. We are all familiar with moss and algae growing
on roof tiles and damp walls that often add character and in themselves do no damage
and Buddleja davidii that likes to seed itself into old walls eventually pulling
them apart. Photographs taken at the Ta Phrom temple in Angkor illustrate plants
invading buildings at their extreme with one strangler Ficus growing to huge proportions
with its gigantic roots gradually prising open the stones of the wall.
Then comes the bit we all want to know. The third section describes how it’s done!
First he describes how, in 1994, he moved into the world of outdoor vertical gardening
when he was asked to create an exhibit at the Chaumont-sur-Loire Festival and the
following sequence of events that led him to meet the architect Jean Nouvel (who
contributed the Preface) and with whom he has worked on many projects including
the Quai Branly Museum in Paris. Then we see his home and both indoor and outdoor
living walls which are used to test new theories of planting. Finally the structure,
installation and maintenance of his work is laid bare with photographs from various
projects illustrating different parts of the process.
The last section is a gallery of gardens, both internal and external, from around
the world. If I had the money I would like to embark on a round-the-world Patrick
Blanc tour!
This book will be an inspiration for anyone interested in plants, the environment,
gardening, design and so much more.
Buy this book
© Sharon Brown
Garden Designer and Editor of www.gardendesignunlimited.co.uk
DESIGN YOUR GARDEN
Diarmuid Gavin, Dorling Kindersley, ISBN 1-4053-0545-2, RRP £16.99
Diarmuid is famous for his
often weird, wacky and somewhat impractical garden designs but this book is the
complete opposite. Whether you are a garden designer or simply a homeowner looking
for inspiration this book could prove invaluable. All the basics of good garden
design are covered, with text written in an informal yet informative style. Excellent
photographs illustrate all styles of garden, plants and materials, giving the reader
an excellent starting point to trigger ideas.
One excellent chapter uses black and white drawings to illustrate how to use shape
and line within different spaces. Each shape of plot is given a minimum of three
examples in the use of circles, curves, squares and rectangles. Other chapters include
garden style, materials, colour and planting. It is well known that Diarmuid doesn’t
like drawing his designs in any detail and perhaps the ‘Planning your design’ section
is the one weak element of this otherwise very useful book.
DESIGN YOUR GARDEN will make an excellent addition to any designer’s library and
I am sure will be especially useful for both those entering the profession and keen
amateurs who wish to make the most of their plot.
Buy this book
© Sharon Brown
Garden Designer and Editor of www.gardendesignunlimited.co.uk
DRIVEWAYS, PATHS AND PATIOS: A COMPLETE GUIDE TO DESIGN, MANAGEMENT AND CONSTRUCTION
Tony McCormack, The Crowood Press, ISBN 1-86126-778-9, Published 2006, RRP £16.99
Many designers new to the profession find the topic of construction quite daunting.
It can seem unnatural providing construction specifications to contractors who have
been doing the job perfectly well for many years. Therefore it is essential to understand
as much about the subject as possible. This book may end up being a well-thumbed
addition to the designer’s book shelf.
Tony McCormack spent over 20 years in the landscaping industry before suffering
a serious accident that left him unable to work. It was then he decided to pass
on his vast knowledge of all things paving to the general public and started the
excellent source of ‘how to’ information; www.pavingexpert.com.
Anyone who has visited this site may think it’s not worth buying the book but they
would be wrong. The whole process of building residential paving from the design
process through to completion and remedial works is looked at in much more detail.
Perhaps the best thing about this book is that it’s written by a contractor. Most
books that cover design or hard landscaping are written by designers, and there’s
nothing wrong with that, but this one approaches the subject from the viewpoint
of a contractor. Just as much emphasis is given to tools and drainage as how to
design and this is unusual and refreshing.
It is essential designers provide accurate specifications for the purpose of obtaining
quotes and ensuring quality of work and this book will provide an excellent reference
point for anyone unsure of correct techniques.
Buy this book
© Sharon Brown
Garden Designer and Editor of www.gardendesignunlimited.co.uk
Making the Modern Garden by Christopher Bradley-Hole
An opening chapter, The Poetry, explains how the modern garden has evolved. The
book is then split into a series of thematic chapters. The Grammar looks at the
basic structure of garden design from initial thoughts, inspiration from the landscape,
understanding of proportion, and underlying influences such as art and architecture;
The Narrative considers styles of different types of modernist gardens, including
roof gardens, courtyard gardens, urban gardens, country gardens, and landscape gardens;
this chapter then looks at creative ways of using an ever-changing palette of plants
in the modernist garden.
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Exotic Planting for Adventurous Gardeners by Christopher Lloyd
For everyone who loves reading Christopher Lloyd, "Exotic Planting for Adventurous
Gardeners" is an unexpected bonus.His last and most adventurous Among them are the
novelist Frank Ronan who has taken overall responsibility for completing the text,
and Anna Pavord who contributes an opening chapter on exotic gardens in history.
Illustrated with hundreds of photographs by Jonathan Buckley, "Exotic Planting for
Adventurous Gardeners" both inspires and instructs. Few gardeners will be able to
resist Lloyd's call to 'do something outlandish, to splash out, and be freer than
ever'.
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Vertical Gardens: Bringing the City to Life Anna Lambertini (Author), Maria
Ciampi (Author), Jacques Leenhardt (Introduction)
Bringing nature into urban environments has always been a challenge for metropolitan
areas. One of the most spectacular solutions to this problem is the vertical garden.
These gardens are more than just an unusual decoration attached to a wall - they
are a means of bringing life and greenery to a bleak courtyard, a grey city street,
or a cold modern building. "Vertical Gardens" is the first publication to present
a collection of the most important examples of this emerging trend.
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Encyclopedia of Exotic Plants for Temperate Climates
With their bold foliage, exuberant colors, and luscious scents, exotic plants ignite
curiosity and thrill the senses. Fortunately for gardeners in the world's temperate
regions, it's not necessary to live in the tropics to experience spiky agaves and
brilliant cannas. With some 1500 species and cultivars described, the Encyclopedia
of Exotic Plants for Temperate Climates covers many plant groups, including aroids,
bananas, gingers, bromeliads, cacti, yuccas, ferns, and palms. Detailed cultivation
advice enables gardeners of all levels to make informed choices from an expansive
plant palette.
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Clematis for Small Spaces: 150 High-performance Plants for Patios, Decks, Balconies
and Borders
Clematis have long enjoyed popularity in gardens large enough to accommodate them
and now, with the arrival of a new generation of cultivars that excel in mixed borders,
containers, and other small spaces, there is more reason than ever to grow them.
As well as being modest in height, many of these new clematis are extremely floriferous
and self-supporting, thus ensuring their value in a wide range of garden situations.
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Around The World In 80 Gardens
If I have learned only one thing from my travels around the world it is that no
garden is an island. Context is everything.' Monty Don visits each continent in
this landmark series on gardens of the world. We are introduced to the unique floating
gardens of the Amazon and the colourful alpine flower meadows of Norway, modest
domestic gardens in Havana and Bali, Monet's world-famous Giverny and the Dutch
tour-de-force Het Loo, the formal magnificence of Renaissance Italian water gardens,
the tropical planting traditions of Thailand, and the intriguing fusion of indigenous
and colonial garden cultures in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.
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A Gardener's Life
Lady Salisbury has been a gardener since, as a child in the 1930s, she cultivated
tiny patches of her parents' gardens in Ireland and the West of England. Later,
as chatelaine first of Cranborne Manor and then of Hatfield House, she revived two
of the great historic gardens of England. And then there the gardens that, as a
professional garden designer, she has created for others, notably for the Prince
of Wales at Highgrove and for the Museum of Garden History and Cosby Hall in London.
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The Yellow Book: NGS Gardens Open for Charity (National Gardens Scheme)
The Yellow Book published every year by The National Gardens Scheme. A county by
county guide to thousands of gardens in England & Wales, many not normally open
to the public, plus up-to-date articles inside from celebrities and gardening experts.
Brief garden descriptions, directions and opening times are included along with
many colour pictures and information on over 150 gardens with accommodation.
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Dream Gardens: 100 Inspirational Gardens
"Dream Gardens" is a beautifully designed sourcebook of 100 modern and contemporary
gardens of all styles in all parts of the world. It presents an exciting array of
stunning locations and garden-design ideas, from small, sophisticated, minimalist
city gardens to large, richly planted gardens in breathtaking rural locations. Each
garden is beautifully photographed to show all its key features and essential details,
while concise descriptions offer a rare insight into the aims and achievements of
some of today's leading garden designers.
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Modern Tropical Garden Design
Made Wijaya, Asia's leading landscape designer, shows how the most exuberant tropical
plants and design inspirations have a place even in modern gardens. To underline
his point, he showcases the works of masters of modern design, from the Americas
to Asia and Australia. He also offers concise guidance on practical matters such
as water features, pavings, lighting, furniture and also artworks. The most important
designers of the modern age are highlighted, from Roberto Burle Marx to Geoffrey
Bawa and Raymond Jungles. Both informative and inspirational, the book is aimed
at designers of gardens large and small.
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Rain Gardens: Managing Water Sustainably in the Garden and Designed Landscape:
Sustainable Rainwater Management for the Garden and Designed Landscape
Rain gardens encompass all possible elements that can be used to capture, channel,
divert and make the most of the rain and snow that fall on a property. Using the
innovative and attractive approaches described here, it is possible to enhance outdoor
spaces and minimize the damaging effects of drought, stormwater runoff, and other
environmental challenges. Nigel Dunnett & Andy Clayden have created a comprehensive
guide to water management techniques for the garden and built environment.
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