The Ultimate Garden Designer [Paperback]

Tim Newbury (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 31, 1996

"...leagues above the common garden design primer....Besides the detailed sketches, there are superb photographs with the best depth of focus...seen in any gardening book. Recommended for all gardening collections."--LJ. "A large number of complete plans for gardens, including Japanese, cottage-style, wheelchair-accessible, and family-oriented....Within each type shows variations for plots of differing characteristics (triangular, wide and shallow, etc.). Part two focuses on garden highlights, such as pools, pergolas, gazebos, and brick pavings, with concise planting plans indicated for every design."--Booklist. 256 pages, 190 color illus., 400 b/w illus., 7 3/4 x 10 1/2.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Pick a style of garden (cottage, kitchen, family, etc.), see a plan complete with a planting list, add a feature such as a pool or pergola, and create your own unique garden. It may sound simplistic, but this book is leagues above the common garden design primer. The author has won three gold medals for design at London's renowned Chelsea Flower Show, and his good taste shows throughout. The design plans are all presented with variations based on size and shape. They also provide alternatives based on cost, style, or ease of construction and are key numbered to a planting list, which describes a selection of plants that give good value for the money. Besides the detailed sketches, there are superb photographs with the best depth of focus this reviewer has seen in any gardening book. Recommended for all gardening collections.?Daniel Starr, Museum of Modern Art, New York
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Among his credentials Newbury counts three gold medals awarded by the Chelsea Flower Show, arguably Britain's most prestigious exhibition of garden design. In his book he lends his expert counsel to a large number of complete plans for gardens, including Japanese, cottage-style, wheelchair-accessible, and family-oriented gardens. Within each type, Newbury shows variations for plots of differing characteristics (triangular, wide and shallow, etc.). Part two focuses on garden highlights, such as pools, pergolas, gazebos, and brick pavings, with concise planting plans indicated for every design. A directory of plants concludes. Alice Joyce --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Sterling (December 31, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 070637486X
• ISBN-13: 978-0706374865
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 7.6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,760,609 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stimulate Your Design Ideas, May 28, 2000

By 

R. Tynan (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Ultimate Garden Designer (Paperback)

The Ultimate Garden Designer is one of the best books I've read on the subject. I've been gardening for about twenty years and have read and done much in landscape and garden design. If your looking for a book about concepts, not specific plants this is the best one I've come across. It will NOT make you into a garden designer if you don't already have a working knowledge of basic design concepts. [To further clarify it does not go into long discussions on UNIVERSAL principles of garden design, it does however give great design perspective insight into each specific plan and feature.] What it will do is stimulate your design ideas based on your potential applications of a given design theme.

The book has many colorful three dimensional renderings and two dimensional plans. They are categorized into complete gardens and garden features.

The complete gardens are based on theme's such as cottage, kitchen, family, plant enthusiast, disabled, water, Japanese, etc. Each plan has renderings and a plan, a short "design philosophy" discussion, a plant selection thought process, unique features identified, and design variations. The design variations are great for stimulating ideas on ways to adapt a given style of garden to different lot constraints (ie. long and narrow, corner, or triangle lot). The garden features section walks you through the styles, materials, and techniques for things such as water features, rock gardens, pergolas, walls, steps, herb gardens, etc. There are great color photo examples, different design sketches, and a discussion of design considerations.

The book also includes a plant directory of the most common plants in the included plans. Some will be familiar and some won't since this book was written in the U.K. But the plants list is not the main attraction here.

I highly recommend this book to everyone who is enthusiastic about designing their gardens as a whole and not just a mish-mash of disparate plants. A must for every serious garden library.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very comprehensive, February 27, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Ultimate Garden Designer (Paperback)

Having looked at many, many landscaping books, I can honestly say this one is among the best. The pictures are beautiful yet practical and feasible. Lots of practical suggestions help modify for your own yard.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Impressive Publication, January 18, 2010

By 

allanbecker-gardenguru (Montreal, Canada) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Ultimate Garden Designer (Paperback)

This is an impressive publication- a beautifully illustrated manual for the garden designer. The vast amount of talent stored between the covers of this book is what one would expect landscape architects to have developed before they receive their diplomas. The very ambitious home owner who is comfortable working with a back hoe and some help will also enjoy following this guide

The author is a respected and renowned garden designer. The essence of the advice he conveys to the student reader is that a garden is akin to a small park. What will make such a setting enjoyable is the path laid out by the designer to discover its contents. To create that experience, Mr. Newbury relies on the wandering, curving line that cleverly converts any small plot of land into an enchanting garden. This concept is repeated throughout the book, for practically every style of garden imaginable. The reader comes away understanding that a garden is about movement and travel both for the eye and the body. It is also about the importance of discovery and the need for camouflage.

For those landscapes that require a shed, a greenhouse, or a compost heap, the plans supplied by the author demonstrate how all of these features are tucked away ingeniously in locations that do not detract from the overall beauty of the property. One may create a garden using any of the one hundred ideas in this book and never notice these elements, no matter how small the garden.

The focus of the book is a collection of 15 basic styles of gardens that include a cottage garden, water garden and roof garden. Once the reader has selected a desired style, there are choices within that style. For example, if one would like to install a cottage garden, one may select a layout for a traditional treatment, a contemporary style or a version for a small urban back yard. Each of these choices comes with complete plans for their realization. These plans include

· An over all view of the garden as seen from a deck.

· An aerial blue print containing symbols and shapes to identify individual features to be installed in the garden.

· A planting guide for the major plants to be used.

· A plant list that is numerically cross-referenced to the planting guide.

· A three dimensional view of the completed garden.

· Four variations of the aerial blueprint that accommodate differences in the sizes and shapes of individual properties.

This meticulous attention to detail is repeated 36 times before this section is complete. So thorough is the presentation that it also includes plans of gardens for the disabled.

Like most prominent garden designers, the author relies heavily on trees, ornamental shrubs, paths and borders to flesh out the structure of the gardens. The use of perennials is limited. For those clients who prefer more flowers, the plans leave room for modifications after establishing the overall structure and design.

The secondary section of the book deals with the placement of hardscapes and garden features such as pools, patio, pergolas and pots. While some technical information is supplied, this section presupposes that the reader is familiar with most of the technology and engineering necessary for their installation. This section, therefore, is not a how-to-install-it manual. Instead, it is a guide on how to install it beautifully.

The final portion of the book contains an abbreviated list of recommended plants. The list is understandably short because designers tend to edit their options in order to remain efficient. Those plants that deliver the best results are included.

Clearly, the author has used similar plants successfully in his projects because they work best with the garden designs he provides. The seasoned designer may chose to modify this list. For the neophyte, it is a reliable place to start.

Creating a new garden or overhauling an old one may be overwhelming for the uninitiated and even formidable for an experienced designer. However, with this beautifully illustrated color manual, as a guide, those challenges become easier.

Allan Becker reviews books on garden topics for [...] and for his garden blog, allanbecker-[...]