Customer Reviews

The American Woodland Garden: Capturing the Spirit of the Deciduous Forest

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The American Woodland Garden: Capturing the Spirit of the Deciduous Forest. Rick Darke

This is one of the most powerful books about our natural world that I have read in a long time. When I picked it up I expected nothing more that a pleasant read and some attractive photographs. This book contains far more. The author manages to combine science-based knowledge of forest ecology with the eye of the artist and the insight of a philosopher. I haven't enjoyed a tree or garden book in years and I don't even live on that side of the continent.

More than half the population of the U.S. lives on land that used to be one vast deciduous forest. Only a patchwork of remnants remains. Rick Darke, author of "The American Woodland Garden" has attempted the difficult task of writing and photographing a portrait of this forest and offering a guide for those who consider creating a woodland garden both for beauty and for their conservation value.

The photographs alone make this book a worthwhile purchase, especially those of the photographic study of one stretch of Red Clay Creek in Pennsylvania. The author portrays, in photographs and notes, the natural patterns and processes of this tiny section of creek that he passed daily on his way to work. He writes "What began as a simple exercise in observation has proved to be one of the most essential elements in my education as a gardener." The resulting series of photographs is both simple and profound. Most of us know little stream beds like this; often we pass them routinely in our day-to-day commuting. We seldom pause to record the details - a flower is in bloom, a branch has fallen, the way one tree's foliage complements another. But for the author there were complex lessons to be learned, not least of which was the inevitability of change in the forest. Not only seasonal changes, but the effects of high winds, heavy rain and, of course, the hand of man.

Make sure to read the preface to understand the author's frame of reference (I often skip it, thinking `same old, same old') but this one conveys you comfortably into the realm of the forest and into the author's world view. His first chapter "A Forest Aesthetic - The Eye of the Artist" shows you the colour cycles and architecture of the forest, while the second chapter is the aforementioned study of the woodland stream. The third and fourth chapters relate the spirit of the forest to the spirit of a woodland garden. The final, and longest, chapter details the plants of the woodland.

For the gardener or designer the lesson, beyond a deeper understanding of the woodland itself, is not to copy the forest but to reflect it, to make the most of colours, patterns and processes and to celebrate the spirit of the forest and bring it closer.

It would demean this book to call it a coffee table book, although the large format and superb illustrations would earn it a place on any coffee table. But by all means put it on your coffee table, because you will want it handy to pick up again and again as you keep returning to take this spiritual journey again and again with the author.

I LOVE this book! I have a pretty extensive library of gardening books, but after relocating to the Northeast and starting landscaping projects here on our wooded lot, I felt I needed more references before going any further. Very few books I've looked at do an adequate job of dealing with shade and woodland gardening with the focus on planting native species. There are a great many very pretty books, with boring, dry or even worthless text, but this book utilizes very readable material and photographic compositions that are helpful AND beautiful. The use of photos of grouped plantings, as opposed to individual specimen photography made it far easier visualize possibilities in my own landscaping projects, and I especially liked his photos contrasting various garden views from one season to the next, emphasizing the idea that the beauty of our woodland landscapes aren't just about the obvious drama of spring or fall, but the unique structure and color of each phase of the year. I feel Mr. Darke did a fantastic job with both his text and photography, providing the ideal balance between beauty and practicality, creating a lovely, readable book that also serves as a great gardening reference.

Rick Darke has produced another gem. Darke's approach is unique; part Edwin Way Teale and part Gertrude Jeckyl, he looks at woodland beauty from many aspects; both for the love of it and in order to reproduce it in the garden. The book has four main sections, an appreciation of natural plant arrangements in the forest, a study of a small section of a woodland creek over many years, application of natural design principles in established gardens and a description of horticulturally useful forest plants. Each section is lavishly illustrated with beautiful and well-reproduced photographs.

In the first unit, the author looks at natural woodlands and natural gardens from the point of view of an artist and gardener. His goal is to define those natural combinations that are pleasing and translate them to culture. His discussion of color was particularly novel and helpful.

The second section follows the changes wrought by nature in a section of the Red Clay Creek in SE Pennsylvania. Not merely a catalog of events, this exercise in observation reveals how natural beauty evolves over time and through the seasons.

In the third section, a number of public and private gardens are used to illustrate the authors vision of the narural garden.

Finally, the last part of the book describes the main plants in the northeastern forest. It contains a wealth of cultural and aesthetic information.

Each section alone is worth the price of this handsome volume. This is a garden book to savor and to learn from.

I've looked at several woodland garden books, trying to come up with ideas and plants. I must admit I was very disappointed with the selection in stores. Most books just don't have enough pictures or the pictures are black and white and just not what I was looking for. This book is stunning. Excellent paper used and beautiful prints on EVERY page. The photography just honestly blew me away. I enjoyed the fact that on many pages, there were pictures of the same area in all 4 seasons. The glossary of plants in the back of the book was invaluable. Stunning pictures of every plant so you know exactly what you are looking for or considering for purchase. If you are looking for a native woodland garden book that is visually intersting as well as textually rich, this book is for you.

This is a terrific book. First, it's a beautiful book to look at and peruse. Second, Rick Darke's message is powerful and is defining a modern view of gardening that is reminiscent of Emerson and Thoreau. Darke integrates gardening into the natural world, using natural forms and blending man-made landscape into the forest from which many of our homes were carved. If you have the chance to hear Rick Darke speak, don't miss it!

This book is full of excellent pictures - woodland landscapes and closeups of individual woodland appropriate plants. The majority of the book has at least one picture on each page = lots of inspiration sources! Chapter Five (pgs 194 to 352) contains info on individual plants listed alphabetically by Latin name. The info contains the author's first hand observations about the plant's likes and dislikes, growth habit and rate and various other tidbits to make sure you place the plant where it will grow the best.

Whether you are planning a woodland garden, look out on a woodland garden, or just dream of woodland gardens, this book is a must have. It is the most beautiful, awe-inspiring garden book I've ever encountered.

The photos are the first layer of beauty. The descriptions of the plants are the second layer of beauty. The suggested arrangements of trees, shrubs and flowers are the third layer of beauty. You could spend weeks reading this book and not get through the layers. Mr. Darke has produced a true gift for those of us who treasure woodlands.

A gorgeous, substantive book. It's not a how-to in a conventional sense, but it will definitely get your creative juices flowing in terms of your own woodlands. If you've never thought about "color palette" for plantings, you'll really enjoy this book.

This is simply the best book in my garden library. It is a way of looking at the environment around us, an ethos complete with pictures, information, and instruction. Be sure to buy this book in hardback, because paperback binding will never survive the hard useage this book will receive in your home.

I actually bought this book for my landscape gardener because I thought it was one of the most beautiful and well-written books on gardening and our natural environment that I have ever read. Others feel that way, too, because the new copy arrived with an award sticker on the front! I would give it 10 stars.