Urban Sanctuaries: Peaceful Havens for the City Gardener [Hardcover]

Stephen Anderton (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2001

By presenting examples of innovative designs from both private and communal inner-city gardens all over the world, this book invites urban gardeners everywhere to create an inspiring outdoor haven no matter how limited available space may be. As well as showcasing design ideas for varied styles of peaceful and refreshing inner-city gardens, Stephen Anderton offers practical advice on the basic design elements necessary to create any urban sanctuary, including a consideration of soil, light, space, scale, and water, together with plant use and appearance. Examples provided include low maintenance minimalist gardens, family-friendly havens, gardens with soothing water features, roof terraces and balcony retreats, indoor-outdoor rooms, and natural style gardens. Designs and practical tips are given to create each of these different garden styles.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Whether you have little more than a glorified big-city fire escape or a small-town backyard, British garden writer Stephen Anderton claims you can create a peaceful oasis in a hectic environment. The emphasis in Urban Sanctuaries is on the traditional backyard, but Anderton's key concepts will apply to smaller areas as well. The scale of plantings as well as water and soil supplies must be considered carefully. To make it seem larger, the pace of movement through the area should be slowed and there must be a place to sit, which seems obvious, but during the design stage the fact that eventually one will want to spend leisure time in one's garden is often overlooked. Copiously illustrated with color photographs of scores of small gardens and outdoor seating areas, the book features gardens of every persuasion, from spare, minimalist retreats to veritable urban jungles. Unfortunately, Anderton identifies few of the gardens by geographic location, though many of them look decidedly rural. Eight gardens are displayed in double-page spreads, and for those the original plans are provided and the initial design considerations are detailed. Anderton also provides a practical listing of 72 plants suitable for small gardens--tough varieties with long growing seasons. --Liana Fredley

From Booklist

The notion of creating a "sanctuary" is a popular topic, turning up frequently in the recent crop of gardening literature. Anderton's approach to the concept allows for a down-to-earth yet inspiring presentation of alternatives ranging from cutting-edge designs of cool contemporary plots to family-oriented backyards and container gardens that make maximum use of minimum space. A treasury of photographs wraps around the descriptive, instructional text, with Anderton addressing issues of light and soil, shape of the site, and scale. The broad scope encompasses all categories of stylistic considerations, with the aim of directing the reader to a design path best suited to one's fundamental predilections. A prominent personality in the world of English gardening, Anderton looks at special problems and overall schemes in a manner that should appeal to gardeners of all levels. Alice Joyce
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Timber Press, Incorporated (July 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0881925020
• ISBN-13: 978-0881925029
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,120,379 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A peaceful pleasure, August 20, 2004

By 

J. O'Hara (BC Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Urban Sanctuaries (Hardcover)

This is by far one of the loveliest, most inspirational garden books I've ever read. Stephen's vision of how to create sanctuary within the garden is masterful. The photos and text are both well chosen to evoke a peaceful calm and show the reader how such a feeling can translate from paper to soil. I keep my copy close at hand whether I'm looking for ideas in designing gardens for clients, or just want to soothe my soul. A definite must.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For green thumbs living in the big city, September 6, 2002

By 

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

This review is from: Urban Sanctuaries: Peaceful Havens for the City Gardener (Hardcover)

Illustrated with more than 100 photographs, Urban Sanctuaries: Peaceful Havens For The City Gardener by gardening columnist, author and lecturer Stephen Anderton is a basic and straightforward guide for green thumbs living in the big city. In addition to completely "user friendly" and basic gardening advice and clearly portrayed do-it-yourself instructions, Urban Sanctuaries also features numerous "design solutions" to the creation of aesthetically pleasing home gardens that combine beauty with freshness and practicality. A fine book for anyone who wants to reap the visual, fragrant, and edible wards of introducing plant life into their city home, Urban Sanctuaries is a highly recommended addition to personal, professional, and academic reading lists and reference collections.