Customer Reviews

Tropical Garden Design

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

With chatty wit, the inexhaustible landscape designer Made Wijaya seemingly shares all his knowledge of tropical gardens. Wijaya (born Michael White in Australia) known for his intimate knowledge and appreciation of the Balinese culture, reveals a well-traveled, discerning eye for garden style in a wide area of the Asia-Pacific tropics. Richly illustrated with sketches and fine photography, this has the appearance of a coffee table book. Yet Wijaya's anecdotes and criticisms make for a good read. While the author does not get into the nitty-gritty gardener's how-to's, it is an indispensable reference book for anyone wanting to learn more about tropical landscaping.

To impart an understanding of the tropical vernacular, Wijaya brings out a variety of sources for illustration. One entire chapter is devoted to an historical overview of the tropical garden, and it is peppered with old prints and photographs. Throughout the book are paintings, colonial-era vignettes, and nicely drafted sketches. Also useful is Wijaya's list of (mostly) Asian gardens that can be visited for reference or pure enjoyment of the tropical garden. Although the author includes a list of plants that flower in the wet season, there is no other list of botanicals, which would greatly assist the reader seriously involved in garden design. Tropical Garden Design is a style book, and a very entertaining one, at that.

This is a beautiful picture book to pick up and browse and transport yourself to the wonderful tropical gardens displayed in large colorful photographs throughout the book. If you are actually planning on designing a tropical garden as the title implies--forget it. There is little practical how-to information that is found in the book. The one page devoted to palms doesn't say much more that they are vital.The chapter on the brief history of early tropical gardens is the strongest chapter in the book.

If you are suffering from winter blahs, Tropical Garden Design by Made Wijaya is the perfect way for you to escape. Although this book was written as a useful resource for tropical gardeners, it is also a lovely coffee table book for gardeners in colder climates. There are dozens of photos of lush tropical gardens in this book.

Tropical Garden Design begins with a history of tropical gardens. Because of Wijaya's writing style, this chapter is fun to read. The photos of the different tropical garden types are an added bonus.

Chapter two dives right into how to create a Balinese garden. This chapter discusses how to get the Balinese feel and there are many photos, but it is not a step by step garden plan.

As I moved on to Courtyards, Patios, and Terraces, I was excited to see an actual planting plan for a courtyard. There are also many pictures that will provide inspiration. I especially enjoyed the many different examples of stone used in the garden.

Chapters four and five cover water gardens and swimming pools. Again, the pictures are lovely, and chapter five does include one planting plan.

Planting schemes are discussed in chapter six. There are dozens of photos showing different planting schemes. Chapter seven covers tropical plants, but only touches on one or two of each species.

The final chapter of Tropical Garden Design discusses garden art. Again, there are many lovely photos.

The book ends with an appendix that includes information on Villa Bebek, a tropical home and garden, as well as a useful listing of trees and shrubs that flower in the wet season.

Tropical Garden Design is filled with lovely photos. This book was written to showcase Wijaya's work and to talk about the way he designs tropical gardens, so has few actual garden plans. If you are looking for a how to book, you will be disappointed. However, if you want to escape the winter blahs or if you are designing a tropical garden and need some inspiration, make sure you don't miss Tropical Garden Design.

This is the book that you will pick up and read over and over again as it inspires you to turn your own place into a tropical paradise. This is one of my very favorites in my personal library and I just wish there were more like it. Not a "how to" but a wonderful book for daydreams. A combination of good writing and gorgeous photographs...always a winner!

The title of this book is "Tropical Garden Design", not "How To Design A Tropical Garden In Ten Easy Steps".
That reviewers on this page and across the board here on Amazon project their own desires into books that do not even pretend to be what the reviewers WISH they were is indeed odd, and quite unfair.
Neither the title nor desciption claims that this is a guide to installing your own tropical garden, yet reviewers here rate this great book on a low scale because it doesn't do exactly that.

You will find yourself repeadedly going back to this book, time & time again.
Along with William Warren's books there are no better sources of "ideas" for your tropical garden. Buy it!

If you are looking for a "How to" book then this is not it. It has nice pictures of tropical greenery but I did not see any outstanding "designed" tropical gardens in the book. A big disappointment.

I agree with some other reviewers that this is a book for day dreamers. It does not claim to be a guide to tropical garden design and it certainly is not in that category. It is a nice book with many nice early morning photographs of selected beautiful tropical gardens, mostly in Bali. It is a sharing of Michael White's philosophy of garden design oriented around controlled jungles (with high labor input in maintenance) rather than on "how to do it".It is also a fitting reminder and proof that one does not need a university degree to be successful at one's chosen profession.

I picked this book up because of its beautiful cover. The inside was just as gorgeous. Wonderful pictures of Bali and other tropical places. I have it out on my coffee table because I want to look at it all the time. You want to enter the pictures and stay there!

How to make an exception tropical garden while magnifying the local character? Read this book and your imagination be a stimulus.