The Essential Garden Design Workbook: Second Edition [Paperback]

Rosemary Alexander (Preface)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 20, 2009

The Essential Garden Design Workbook guides the reader through every stage of planning a garden -- how to survey a site, how to choose landscaping materials, and how to develop planting schemes. This fully revised and updated second edition features new U.S. case studies and new photographs. Valuable tips on green gardening are new to this edition, and include how to harvest rainwater, how to design a green roof, tips on sustainable planting, and a guide to composting. Tailor-made for hands-on gardeners, the workbook approach is accessible, practical, and can be used to create a garden from scratch and to redesign an existing garden. Gardeners will find easy ways to measure large spaces, estimate the height of a tree, and find the right proportions for a deck. They'll also find tips on space, light, and color. Includes hundreds of easy-to-follow line drawings and diagrams.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Alexander writes with a rare understanding for all of the living organisms -- humans, plants and wild creatures -- who will occupy and benefit from the garden that is under design.

(Milwaukee Journal Sentinel )

"I especially like the book's 400 line drawings. Most are helpful, some humorous."

(Virginian-Pilot )

Book Description

A well-designed garden provides pleasure to owner and visitor alike but often eludes even the most experienced gardener. The Essential Garden Design Workbook guides you through every stage of designing a garden, from site assessment to drawing up plans and selecting suitable materials. Here you will learn how to assess your site and experiment with design ideas that fit well with the garden's surroundings. You will find easy ways to measure large spaces, estimate the height of a tree, and determine the right proportions for a deck, pathway, or steps. The book includes clear instructions for drawing up plans-from initial concept diagram to final design. This book is tailor made for hands-on gardeners who want to rework their gardens to achieve that sought-after `designer finish'. Hundreds of explanatory drawings and quick-reference diagrams make this workbook a vital addition to the bookshelves of every gardener, design student, and professional. By working through this book from start to finish, a designer garden is within everyone's reach. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Timber Press; 2 Rev Upd edition (May 20, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0881929751
• ISBN-13: 978-0881929751
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 7.7 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #34,405 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent for even experienced landscape professionals, January 31, 2006

By 

NH Gardener (Just a mile or two from Maine.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Essential Garden Design Workbook (Turtleback)

I am using this book as a textbook for a Garden Design class. I have several years of garden design experience and have many more years of gardening experience. This book explains the design process in an easy to understand and inspiring way. I have found that it addresses planting and design in subtley different ways that jog my mind to be more creative. It is well written, well designed and very informative.

51 of 55 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A highly detailed design workbook, March 6, 2005

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Essential Garden Design Workbook (Turtleback)

The Essential Garden Design Workbook is a highly detailed design workbook especially intended for serious home gardeners, students of design, and professionals. Expertly written by Rosemary Alexander (the founder and principal of The English Gardening School), The Essential Garden Design Workbook is illustrated cover-to-cover with simple diagrams and sections of full color photographs. Individual chapters deftly cover necessary research and preparations, how to develop the initial design, what to take into account when finalizing the garden layout plan, creating a planting plan, visualizing and constructing the design, and a host of minor details. The Essential Garden Design Workbook is highly recommended as a detailed instructional for learning to blend individually creative instincts with practical necessities to create truly memorable gardens.

44 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great for Beginners, August 19, 2005

By 

t knisely "t knisely" (York, PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Essential Garden Design Workbook (Turtleback)

I moved into a new house and needed to do something with the landscaping. It is a mess. I cannot afford to hire a professional, so I bought this book hoping it would help me come up with a plan on my own. I haven't finished the book yet, but am finding it very helpful. It is more like a text book on how to draw up a garden plan, aimed at professionals, but it isn't overly technical and is fairly informative. I would have given it 5 five stars except that I am not very artistic, and I wish the book had more info to help me in that regard.