Encyclopedia of Landscape Design: Planning, Building, and Planting Your Perfect Outdoor Space
Chris Young's hefty volume arrives with serious ambitions, and it largely delivers on them. Whether you're staring at a neglected patch of lawn with no idea where to begin, or you're a practiced gardener hunting for fresh direction, this book has something genuinely useful to offer. It covers the full arc of the design process, from sizing up your space and sketching out early plans, right through to laying patios, digging ponds, and choosing the right perennials. There's a quick-reference visual directory of plants and materials, which proves handy when you're mid-project and need answers fast. A particularly welcome addition is the 32 new pages featuring 16 case studies of RHS gold medal-winning gardens, each examined through rich photography that makes the analysis feel vivid rather than academic. The book spans an impressive range of garden styles, modernist, Japanese, cottage, urban, family, and sustainable designs all get their due. Each style is broken down into its defining characteristics, giving you a clear picture of what makes it tick and how to replicate its mood in your own outdoor space. Practical guidance sits comfortably alongside the visual inspiration here. Drainage, material selection, structural considerations, it's all addressed with enough clarity to feel actionable rather than overwhelming. The writing never talks down to beginners, yet it doesn't oversimplify for those with more experience either. If your garden feels like unfinished business, this encyclopaedia makes a convincing case for where to start.
- Author: Chris Young
- Publisher: Dk Pub
- Genre: Gardening & Horticulture
- ISBN: 978-0744084436
- Pages: 391 pages