Customer Reviews

Garden Craftsmanship in Yew and Box

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Of this book William Robinson (author of The Wild Garden and The English Flower Garden (1883)) wrote "It is the poorest book that so far has disgraced the garden." While I have the greatest respect for Robinson, and am often appalled by sheared work, I must disagree. Yes, topiary and otherwise sheared yew and box are grossly overseen, and often in inappropriate settings, such as the ubiquitous biscuit-bushes in front of so many otherwise barren. But still it has its proper place. As does this book, for historians and theorists of the garden, as well as those looking to add such formal elements to their lands. Note that this is not an ideal first book to purchase on this topic; there are more modern, easier, well-illustrated books to help one with the design and mechanics of adding sheared and other formal elements, such as "Creating Formal Gardens," by Roy Strong. The author's grandson, Christopher Lloyd, who also wrote the preface to this edition, and continued to garden and shear yew on his inherited estate until his death in 2007, is one of the greatest garden theorists and writers ever.