Design for Gardens [Hardcover]

Joseph Hudak (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2000

Successful garden designs offer a careful arrangement of form, texture, proportion, and color harmony. In these pages, the renowned landscape architect and horticulturist Joe Hudak provides an overview of design innovations through the ages and concludes with a personal account of his own five-year-long garden renovation project.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

The essential elements of good garden design--form, layout, and balance between colors and textures--are all thoroughly covered in this newest book by landscape architect and writer Hudak (Gardening with Perennials Month by Month). An opening chapter on garden innovations through the centuries leads the way to chapters on evaluating, planning, and designing one's own garden. Hudak pays particular attention to individual details such as incorporating water features, fences, hedges, terraces, etc., and devotes detailed sections to each. He then discusses specific types of plants, such as evergreens and perennials, and shows how these plants should effectively be used in the landscape design. A concluding chapter gives a personal account of how the author developed his own garden over the course of five years. An appealing aspect of the book is that it does not focus on any geographic area, so the advice can be used by any gardener. Generously illustrated with photographs, many from the author's own garden, this book should be an essential purchase for garden collections.
-Phillip Oliver, Univ. of North Alabama Lib., Florence
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

When embarking on the goal of making a garden, it is all too easy to gather an assemblage of plants from mail-order nurseries or garden centers. Yet the more challenging, often perplexing subject of garden design must still be addressed. Hudak's visually enticing guide commences with a historical overview of the art of gardening. Taking inspiration from that introduction, readers can follow along as Hudak proceeds through essential design practices: evaluating the site, deciding on a style, and identifying those unique features that will transform the space into a distinctive sanctuary. Subsequent chapters encompass how to map a plan, create aesthetic unity, and select plant material. Gardeners can look to this distinguished landscape architect and horticulturist to both provide a wealth of ideas and impart the practical information that will help pave the way to creating a lovely new or refurbished garden space. Alice Joyce

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 217 pages
• Publisher: Timber Press, Incorporated (April 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0881924415
• ISBN-13: 978-0881924411
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 7.7 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,444,339 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Good intro for backyard landscapers, March 20, 2007

By 

postoak7 "Kris" (Statham, GA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Design for Gardens (Hardcover)

I'd been looking for something from which to glean ideas for my own yard. This book is written at that level, rather than as a reference for professional landscape designers. Of the three books of this type that I got at the same time, this is my favorite.