Garden Design

by DK Publishing Chris Young -Editor in Chief, Paul Williams
A large coffee table book, this book is laid out in the characteristic look familiar to those who enjoy reading interior design tomes. It is a layout used to advantage for the huge number of styles, ideas, and landscape features illustrated.

Analyzed for design, the illustrations provide design instruction as the reader journeys through the book. “Height, perspective, structural elements” – these are the building blocks of the short chapters which range in topic from outdoor furniture through plantings (such as groundcovers, etc).

Tackling common problems with plan options presented in diagrams, the book immensely helps the d-i-y home landscaper.

Case studies are given with interesting real life gardens and situations. Explanations of specific garden styles and their elements was a delightful feature of this book. Such styles, as Cottage or Japanese-for example, have outlined plans with plant choices and landscape design directions, including hardscape materials to use, suggested.

A section of the book is dedicated to the “how-to” of making a garden with a pre-construction checklist and project ideas.

Other sections include plant profiles and plant lists:

i.e.
• Shrubs for Spring Interest
• Late Flowering Perennials
• Perennials for Architectural Interest

The book ends with a Landscape Idea Gallery – pages of inspiring ideas to spark your own plans.

This book is ideal for those interested in the design of their gardens.