I was cruising the new book section of the library this month and ran across this great book from DK publishing. It is entitled Small Space Garden Ideas by Phillippa Pearson (DK Publishing: London, 2014).
I like Dorling Kindersley Publishing because they have such great photos and the slick pages are just so easy to read and view. All the books I have from them are heavy in weight and this is no exception. What was exceptional about this book was the weight of information inside matches the weight of the book itself. The author takes us through several different times of small gardens. This is not a book just on container gardening, but micro gardens, hanging gardens, and even novelty planters. There was even one on making a Fairy Farm! There are step by step instructions on how to make each garden described with photographs of just the right steps.
One of the supreme features of the book is a small box that you find at the end of each project with the title "Care Advice." These little boxes give watering and feeding details, general care instructions, and other tips to make the project more successful. I think these boxes impart the author's special knowledge of plants giving the book so much more credibility.
If you are into succulents or air plants there were suggestions for making inventive gardens with these plants as well as traditional herbs, vegetables and flowers. No matter what you grow you will find a garden idea for you to try in this wonderfully crafted book.
The author Phillippa Pearson is from England, as is common with DK Publishing. She is an accomplished gardener and award winning author. She publishes monthly features on gardens and plants in Hertfordshire Life and Essex Life and she has also contributed to regional and national media including BBC Gardeners' World magazine, The English Garden, Homes & Gardens, Cambridge News, Cambridgeshire Journal and the Soil Association's website.
Her gardening chops include three years as consultant gardener at the Brocket Hall estate, Welwyn, Hertfordshire as well as countless awards including several from the Royal Horticulture Society. It is worth checking out the photographs of plants she has on her website under Plant Portraits.
My two favorite projects in the book were Saddlebag Patio Pouches made from oil cloth and a Tea Garden made on a tea tray with tea cups saucers and a tea pot. She also shows how to make your own cement planters.
Here is my attempt at saddle bags. I used a black material to match my railing.
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I have not had a chance to try the tea pot idea yet, but in the book you can see it is stunning.
The book is a bit pricy on Amazon.com, but I found it to be more reasonable directly from the DK Publishing website. There is a digital edition which will save you some money too. Either way the book is worth a look for the detail you get and the exquisite photographs.
I like Dorling Kindersley Publishing because they have such great photos and the slick pages are just so easy to read and view. All the books I have from them are heavy in weight and this is no exception. What was exceptional about this book was the weight of information inside matches the weight of the book itself. The author takes us through several different times of small gardens. This is not a book just on container gardening, but micro gardens, hanging gardens, and even novelty planters. There was even one on making a Fairy Farm! There are step by step instructions on how to make each garden described with photographs of just the right steps.
One of the supreme features of the book is a small box that you find at the end of each project with the title "Care Advice." These little boxes give watering and feeding details, general care instructions, and other tips to make the project more successful. I think these boxes impart the author's special knowledge of plants giving the book so much more credibility.
If you are into succulents or air plants there were suggestions for making inventive gardens with these plants as well as traditional herbs, vegetables and flowers. No matter what you grow you will find a garden idea for you to try in this wonderfully crafted book.
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| Photo courtesy of www.philippapearson.co.uk/ |
Her gardening chops include three years as consultant gardener at the Brocket Hall estate, Welwyn, Hertfordshire as well as countless awards including several from the Royal Horticulture Society. It is worth checking out the photographs of plants she has on her website under Plant Portraits.
My two favorite projects in the book were Saddlebag Patio Pouches made from oil cloth and a Tea Garden made on a tea tray with tea cups saucers and a tea pot. She also shows how to make your own cement planters.
Here is my attempt at saddle bags. I used a black material to match my railing.
.jpg)
I have not had a chance to try the tea pot idea yet, but in the book you can see it is stunning.
The book is a bit pricy on Amazon.com, but I found it to be more reasonable directly from the DK Publishing website. There is a digital edition which will save you some money too. Either way the book is worth a look for the detail you get and the exquisite photographs.
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