Garden Design and Landscaping - The Beginner's Guide to the Processes Involved with Successfully Landscaping a Garden

by Rachel Mathews

If you're new to landscaping and you're not sure if you should DIY design the garden yourself or hire a designer, this book will explain what's involved, to help you decide. There's also tips on how to hire the right landscape contractor to build your garden as well as tips on the best places to learn about garden design, if you want to do it yourself. This book is an overview of the landscaping processes, not a step-by-step 'how-to' guide (see Rachel's other books for that).


In order to create a fantastic looking landscaped garden, you need to know about the processes involved and how much it's likely to cost you. This book will give you an overview of the landscaping processes, from what you need to know in order to successfully DIY design your garden, to what to look for when hiring professional landscapers and designers to help you.


In this book, professional, international garden designer, Rachel Mathews, from Successful Garden Design, will share over twenty year's experience as a designer and landscaping contracts manager. She will give you the low down on the main things you need to know BEFORE you landscape your garden.


It can feel quite daunting tackling a garden, either on your own or hiring landscape professionals to help. You may not even know where to start; if you should DIY or hire someone. So, this book will explain what each stage of the landscape process involves, from the landscape design concept to creation, so you can decide which bits you do yourself. This book is an overview of the processes involved with successfully landscaping a garden, not a step-by-step 'how-to' guide (see Rachel's other books for that).


The book covers how to work with landscaping professionals, tips on how to DIY design your garden, how to learn about landscape design. This book also answers the following questions: what's the difference between a gardener, a landscaper and a garden designer? Is garden design software worth using? How do I choose a landscaper to work with? How do you tell if a landscaper is a good one?


This short book will save you a great deal of time, money and aggravation when it comes to creating your dream garden. You will get a great overview of precisely what is involved with creating a fantastic garden, so that you can spend your time, money and energy effectively and get the results you want with your landscape design.


This new 2.0 version contains many more images and Rachel address the feedback left by reviewers.

Genres: Gardening, Nonfiction, Reference

ebook

First published February 11, 2014

Reviews

[Denise · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not what I thought...

This book tells you how to choose a landscaper or contractor. That's pretty much a common sense thing. 'Do your research' is the message.

[Reader · Rating 1 out of 5]

The book is 80% common sense about choosing contractors and badmouthing about other author’s design books, 10% advertising about the author’s services and the rest is the list of 7 design principles with one paragraph explanations that could fit on a two sided flyer. An almost complete loss of time. This is my first book review ever, but the frustration about this book is obviously so high, I couldn’t resist.

[Abbey · Rating 3 out of 5]

The gist of this was whether to hire the job out or do it yourself. As this type of work is her job, she obviously leaned toward hiring out. Just personal preference. I felt like she was a little harsh toward DIYers in the sense that "if you don't have a big and well thought out plan, you're doomed."

[Beau and Melanie Cratsley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very long and lots of material

A lot of words to read and very lengthy chapters. It's hard to understand because it is such long explanations. I know it said it was not a step by step but it would make it easier to understand such lengthy pages.

[Sean Kenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good for Introductory basics

Good basics, bot all applicable and UK not US makes some of th terms, etc a little different. However, like the emphasis on design first and on creating interesting shapes.

[Karen Cotton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Planning a garden

Who knew that planning a garden would be so tricky or perhaps potentially so expensive, I think the best advice would be to have a landscaper or garden designer to help. Maybe not digging it up yourself!

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was very informative. Was well written(easy to understand. It just wasn't what I was expecting. I did learn a lot of useful information from it. I think it was just too technical for me.

[Chris Allen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Clear, well written and to the point.

[Mary Porter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very helpful

This book was helpful with getting ideas for my back garden. The tips and processes were useful. I recommend this book.

[lisa miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extremely Helpful

This book was very helpful. I can't wait until spring to start designing and building new gardens. Planning to transform my backyard into a garden wonderland.

[Sheila Metcalf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid intro to garden design for beginners. Clear basics, but lacks depth. Good starting point.

[sherry roberts · Rating 1 out of 5]

Did not like it

Did not like it

I expected pictures and tips on how to do make my own garden. instead, it was how to hire someone else to landscape.

[Adam Waldron · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty rubbish.

[David Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent read

I really enjoyed this book. I am only starting with designing ideas for an outdoor space and found this book an excellent beginning that was simple to understand.