During my interview with garden design superstar Bernard Trainor a few weeks back, the conversation turned to books that answer questions we didn’t even know we had. I don’t mean that they answered questions that we didn’t care about. They proposed a line of enquiry that we hadn’t acknowledged before - didn’t even know existed, in fact - in which we were immediately intensely interested in. I mentioned Christopher Alexander’s ground breaking ‘A Pattern Language’ (Oxford University Press 1977), and Bernard returned with ‘Courtyards’ by John S. Reynolds (Wiley and Sons, Inc. 2002). I’d never heard of it, so immediately ordered a copy via Abebooks. It’s outrageous. It has never occurred to me how much there was so much to know about courtyards!
I had a similar experience reading James Hitchmough's 'Sowing Beauty' (Timber Press 2017). It gave me answers to questions I didn't know existed, but desperately wanted to know the answer to once they'd been asked.
I LOVE these kind of books. What books have taken YOU to that place?
Books that taught you stuff you didn't know you didn't know
Discussion
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Space & Illusion in the Japanese Garden by Teiji Itoh (English translation. pb 1983) I think I finally understood the borrowed landscape (and a lot more!)
Ooh, that sounds like my kind of book!
I’m currently reading ‘Bringing the Mediterranean into your Garden’ by the guru of Mediterranean gardening, Olivier Filippi. He gets technical but the beautiful photos help a lot with learning. I’ve improved my understanding of garrigue landscapes as well as my own garden of Mediterranean plants.
I love this book too Margot! It has both challenged and inspired me in equal parts. Enjoy
Yes, Agreed. Outstanding, as are all of his books. Now all published by Filbert Press, whose list is very impressive indeed, including Nigel Dunnett’s ‘Naturalistic Planting Design’ and Dan Pearson’s ‘Tokachi Millennium Forest’
Agree, Margot. I go back and back to it when I need reminding about the importance of place in gardening.
New Wild Garden by Ian Hodgson – I didn’t know I didn’t know I could create a container pond in my small courtyard so easily!
Drawn from the land by Tim Richardson – I definitely didn’t know
Gordon Ford’s “The Natural Australian Garden “ was it for me. His focus on mass and void and their importance to garden design balance had me looking at gardens totally differently. Not saying I’ve nailed it!
I must get you to explain that to me one day, Annette. I’m a big mass and void man myself, but I always felt the GF had quite a different take on it, which I couldn’t quite get a grip on…
The writing of Louisa Jones – especially Mediterranean Gardens, Mediterranean Landscape Design and her biography of Nicole de Vesian – have had that effect on me. Those books that make you realise what you always knew, or always needed but didn’t know that you did…
Agree, Jane. I was also really taken by Louisa Jones’ book on Michel Semini’s design approach and her poetic Mediterranean Gardens – A Model for Good Living. Heidi Gildemeister’s Gardening the Mediterranean Way was a transformative guide to shed off my delusions of a dreamy English style garden in our climate.
The Inward Garden by Julie Moir Messervy is a book that has really resonated with me – that whole idea of self awareness to create a personalised garden.
I’m definitely putting this one on my must read list!
Did you ever see her Music Garden in Toronto, Irene? First bit of naturalistic planting (in that Oudolf/Van Sweden way) I ever saw, back in 2001. Amazing design, in partnership with Yo Yo Ma
Hi Jane – was able to source The Inward Garden from World of Books as a secondhand copy. It was in great condition however. It’s great to get recommendations but it can be a hunt to find them !
Thanks so much Irene, I’ll look it up now..
I loved “Anatomy of a Rose” by Sharman Apt Russell. It’s an easy read in a great storytelling style. The story about thermogenic flowers put a conviction into my head that my Puya alpestris flowers smell warm and feel warm. It’s most likely not true, but now that I imagined it, I cannot “un-imagine” it. 🙂
Hi Adele, If you would like some great information on Roses check out and maybe join the Heritage Roses in Australia group. They are a fantastic group to be a part of. Glennis is the lady to speak to, you will be pleasantly surprised by the beauty of the generally unknown old world roses, these people have volunteered to preserve for our pleasure.
Regards, Mick.
No Michael, but some of my family have on their travels to Canada (they waxed lyrical) and I read about it in James Van Sweden’s book “The Artful Garden”. Another book full of “I didn’t knows”! I didn’t know you can create a garden from the feeling music gives you as JMM did. And I definitely didn’t know you could create a parterre garden from purple gravel and water proofed bagels “a la Martha Schwartz”! The epitome of surprise and whimsy – I loved it!
Any book with pretty garden pictures.
Hi Michael,
I bought two fantastic books on perennials.
The Know Maintenance Perennial Garden by Roy Diblick and Sowing Beauty, Designing Flowering Meadows by James Hitchmough. I cannot speak highly enough of the book by Roy Diblik, the knowledge and the detail he imparts on the soil preparation process is really eye opening. I’ve been looking for this type of preparation detail since your last class. My garden is looking stunning with a combination of old world roses, perennials and grasses. I’m really looking forward to your next classes.
Regards, Mick.
Thanks Mick. I must look up the Roy Diblick book!