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Winter Gardens: Reinventing the Season
WINNER OF THE GARDEN MEDIA GUILD - GARDEN BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD 2018
Cedric Pollet is the author / photographer of the acclaimed book An Intimate Look at the World's Trees (over 50,000 sales worldwide). In his next book, he visits 20 of the most beautiful winter gardens in France and the UK, showing with stunning photography the ways in which they delight in this often neglected season, using structural planting, subtle textures, and pops of colour from branches and berries. The second half of the book is an illustrated directory of over 300 plants which encourage readers to achieve these effects in their own gardens. There is nothing else available like this large format inspirational reference book, by one of today's masters of garden photography.
Cedric Pollet is the author / photographer of the acclaimed book An Intimate Look at the World's Trees (over 50,000 sales worldwide). In his next book, he visits 20 of the most beautiful winter gardens in France and the UK, showing with stunning photography the ways in which they delight in this often neglected season, using structural planting, subtle textures, and pops of colour from branches and berries. The second half of the book is an illustrated directory of over 300 plants which encourage readers to achieve these effects in their own gardens. There is nothing else available like this large format inspirational reference book, by one of today's masters of garden photography.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published October 3, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
October 26, 2021
This is a beautiful book filled with inspiration for adding color and texture to winter gardens. There's an extra focus on trees and bushes, such as dogwoods with their red branches and the stark of birch's white bark, plus lots of really interesting looking winter trees. A number of public gardens are featured with examples of how they look in all four seasons. The focus is really on the architecture of the plants more than traditional flowers and such. Plant names are given in their Latin names without including common names, which may frustrate some gardeners who don't know that malus is the apple or crab apple family, for instance. Best suited for UK gardeners, as plant zones are not included. All in all beautiful inspiration.
I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for review.
I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for review.
November 12, 2025
So, you say winter, you say garden, and your standard reaction would be meh. Winter is the season of bare trees, pines, and rotten leaves, right? Wrong. Gardens are alive in winter too, just in a different way. It’s less in-your-face, that life, subtler than the typical pomp of Summer and Fall, but it’s there. Pollet’s mission with Winter Gardens is to bring them into the spotlight, showing us a different kind of beauty.
August 20, 2018
This book is a masterpiece in photography, although the real heroes are the trees with there winter dress. This is a beautiful book.' I found the second half of the book with all the different barks, fruit and flowers very inspiring and very interesting, I did not know that there was so much variety and beauty in naked trees. A fabulous book both for the coffee table and as an educational tool for gardeners and landscapes.
January 12, 2018
Winter Gardens is not a gardening book, it covers the authors favourite and inspirational winter gardens mainly in France and the United Kingdom and the plants each garden has used to make their gardens more attractive during the bare winter months. There is plenty of colour photography throughout this book to see the gardens and their plants in quite good detail and often includes the comparative picture when the plant is in bloom during the summer months.
The book has a chapter on The Plant Palette, and includes lots of descriptions and colour photography of ornamental barks in their various colours and states throughout the seasons. Also included in this chapter are plants with coloured stems such as Cornus and bamboos, flowering plants in the form of trees and shrubs, perennials and bulbs plus berries.
As I said at the beginning, and which the author also acknowledges, this is not a gardening book, but it does give the reader some ideas as to the plants that could be used to brighten up the garden during the winter. The author includes a list of suggested nurseries (UK, France & USA) where different types of plants be it bark, flowers or bamboos may be sourced.
I was given this book from #Netgalley in return for a honest review.
The book has a chapter on The Plant Palette, and includes lots of descriptions and colour photography of ornamental barks in their various colours and states throughout the seasons. Also included in this chapter are plants with coloured stems such as Cornus and bamboos, flowering plants in the form of trees and shrubs, perennials and bulbs plus berries.
As I said at the beginning, and which the author also acknowledges, this is not a gardening book, but it does give the reader some ideas as to the plants that could be used to brighten up the garden during the winter. The author includes a list of suggested nurseries (UK, France & USA) where different types of plants be it bark, flowers or bamboos may be sourced.
I was given this book from #Netgalley in return for a honest review.
November 14, 2021
Winter Gardens is a beautiful photography and informational book. It includes 300 photos of gardens in the UK and France that are designed to be beautiful in winter as well as other seasons. Through the use of trees with colored barks, evergreens and plants like heather and others foliage gardens can be planned for winter beauty. Living in Utah, where winter means snow covered, I found the idea of winter gardens intriguing. I particularly like photos showing the same spot in different seasons. The book includes lists of trees, bushes, and plants good for winter gardens and nurseries where you can get them. Highly recommend this book for any gardeners that climates can accommodate these type of gardens. And anyone can enjoy the beautiful photography. Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group - White Lion for the temporary eARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 1, 2018
Great photos. Excellent resource for studying nature's forms and colors.
December 30, 2017
I recieved a free digital copy of this book from Netgalley for an honest review.
Some of those pictures are so breathtakingly stunning they don't look real. The book is a mixture of history and imagery. I could stare at some of these pictures all day!
Some of those pictures are so breathtakingly stunning they don't look real. The book is a mixture of history and imagery. I could stare at some of these pictures all day!
February 14, 2018
Loved the photos in this one! Winter is the hardest season for me because it is dark and dreary. I loved all the new ideas that I have to brighten up my surroundings with winter color!
February 3, 2018
Upon beginning Winter Gardens I was unclear exactly what defines a Winter garden. Having finished the book, I've changed my thinking about my own garden's structure and planting and, additionally, have a new appreciation for bark...yes that's right bark! Much of the book is dedicated to understanding what affects the look of a tree or plant when it's bare and, consequently, bark is focal point and it's fascinating. I'm not biologically-orientated person but I am an artist and it felt like Cedric Pollet was explaining a new medium and sharing how each kind of bark one chooses shapes the artwork created, a garden that shines in the Winter.
The gardens in the book exquisite! I have rarely seen such innovation and beauty come together so well. It is also packed with historical information such as "The three principal genera with decorative bark - Betula (birch), Acer (maple), Prunus (Cherry - were introduced late into Europe. Some species, mainly American (the Pennsylvania maple, the black birch and the paper birch), had arrived by 1750. Yet it was not until the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries that the available range of species with ornamental bark was enriched mostly with plants that came from China."
Cedric gives this perspective on the book's target market "It is above all an act of homage that I wish to pay to all those visionary gardeners who have inspired me so much over the past few years. The book is also addressed to everyone who loves plants or is passionate about gardens, as well as to landscape professionals." He fulfills his promise beautifully! I walked away truly inspired and intending to refer back to this book for more. Highly recommended for those interested in gardening and landscape beauty, 4 out of 5!
With thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group - Frances Lincoln
The gardens in the book exquisite! I have rarely seen such innovation and beauty come together so well. It is also packed with historical information such as "The three principal genera with decorative bark - Betula (birch), Acer (maple), Prunus (Cherry - were introduced late into Europe. Some species, mainly American (the Pennsylvania maple, the black birch and the paper birch), had arrived by 1750. Yet it was not until the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries that the available range of species with ornamental bark was enriched mostly with plants that came from China."
Cedric gives this perspective on the book's target market "It is above all an act of homage that I wish to pay to all those visionary gardeners who have inspired me so much over the past few years. The book is also addressed to everyone who loves plants or is passionate about gardens, as well as to landscape professionals." He fulfills his promise beautifully! I walked away truly inspired and intending to refer back to this book for more. Highly recommended for those interested in gardening and landscape beauty, 4 out of 5!
With thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group - Frances Lincoln
March 21, 2018
It's a gorgeous book, even though it's not very helpful. Centered around the idea that autumn and cold monotonous grey months of winter can be colorful too, the author takes the reader through chosen gardens in UK and France that have trees and plants with colorful stems and barks (whose leaves have inevitably fallen off and need to be cleaned up; standard fare, no surprises).
I think a garden should be well-maintained and beautiful, but needs to be above all else, practical, not ornamental, which this book is. I think it's better to make space for fruit trees and veggies and herbs, so that you get them all the year round (oranges, apples, mangos don't lose their foliage in winter, while figs, pear, almond trees do), evergreen trees (every country / region has its own varieties) where birds can make nests too (or place feeding areas so that you see and hear birds even when people are scarce), roses and other evergreen flowers / plants (such as from the cactus family, euphoria, yucca family, aloe vera, curry leaf etc.). If well-taken care of, roses bloom in flushes all year.
Juniper, heather, conifer trees and hydrangea, willow / salix plants are already mentioned in this book, but if a garden is just supposed to be a photographer's playground to catch colorful stems and barks, then it's not much of a garden and more a waste of space.
I think a garden should be well-maintained and beautiful, but needs to be above all else, practical, not ornamental, which this book is. I think it's better to make space for fruit trees and veggies and herbs, so that you get them all the year round (oranges, apples, mangos don't lose their foliage in winter, while figs, pear, almond trees do), evergreen trees (every country / region has its own varieties) where birds can make nests too (or place feeding areas so that you see and hear birds even when people are scarce), roses and other evergreen flowers / plants (such as from the cactus family, euphoria, yucca family, aloe vera, curry leaf etc.). If well-taken care of, roses bloom in flushes all year.
Juniper, heather, conifer trees and hydrangea, willow / salix plants are already mentioned in this book, but if a garden is just supposed to be a photographer's playground to catch colorful stems and barks, then it's not much of a garden and more a waste of space.
November 29, 2021
Winter gardens can be positively striking! The author/photographer of Winter Gardens discusses and photographs the twenty most lovely winter gardens in France and the UK. Talk about gorgeous writing and pictures! We often focus on the foliage and canopy of gardens but there is much more including bark, inflorescences and fruit. Various textures abound like crazy! This book is a magnificent reminder to sit (stand!) up and take notice. As I type I am gazing through the windows at ornamental fruit trees with thickened fissures and peeling bark, a pretty juxtaposition to the white snow. Lovely.
The author describes the concept of winter gardens, the importance of plant elements such as texture and colour, staggering plants of different sizes and types and how to clean and clear bark. But it is not all about trees...there are shrubs (dogwoods) and flowering plants (hellebores) in this book as well.
Here on the Canadian prairies snow for six months of the year and frigid temperatures down to -40C mean we only go out if we must, rarely for pleasure. We do not have remotely the planting options as in continental Europe but we are able to grow some listed in this book which is remarkable in Zone 2a (300 plants are listed and described in the latter part). Regardless of climate, however, there is always, always something to see in nature if you look. Reds and yellows look particularly vibrant, especially when the leaves are gone. Branches themselves can be craggy and twisty like the monkey puzzle tree and bark can be rough, smooth and/or colourful (Eucalyptus coccifera and bamboos). The author details factors which contribute to changes such as age and climate.
If you appreciate plants in general, you do not want to miss this. You need not be a gardener. to ogle and dream. The superlative photography is surreal. I have had the fortune to have visited some of these gardens but what a treat to see them out of season!
My sincere thank you to Quarto Publishing Group - White Lion and NetGalley for the privilege of salivating over this breathtaking and inspiring book.
The author describes the concept of winter gardens, the importance of plant elements such as texture and colour, staggering plants of different sizes and types and how to clean and clear bark. But it is not all about trees...there are shrubs (dogwoods) and flowering plants (hellebores) in this book as well.
Here on the Canadian prairies snow for six months of the year and frigid temperatures down to -40C mean we only go out if we must, rarely for pleasure. We do not have remotely the planting options as in continental Europe but we are able to grow some listed in this book which is remarkable in Zone 2a (300 plants are listed and described in the latter part). Regardless of climate, however, there is always, always something to see in nature if you look. Reds and yellows look particularly vibrant, especially when the leaves are gone. Branches themselves can be craggy and twisty like the monkey puzzle tree and bark can be rough, smooth and/or colourful (Eucalyptus coccifera and bamboos). The author details factors which contribute to changes such as age and climate.
If you appreciate plants in general, you do not want to miss this. You need not be a gardener. to ogle and dream. The superlative photography is surreal. I have had the fortune to have visited some of these gardens but what a treat to see them out of season!
My sincere thank you to Quarto Publishing Group - White Lion and NetGalley for the privilege of salivating over this breathtaking and inspiring book.
December 11, 2021
I happen to live in a part of the world known for rain. Interestingly, the state only cracks the top 5 (let alone the top 10) in winter, based on state-wide average precipitation; the rest of the year, it's nowhere on the list. Who knew?! Certainly not me!
And yet, there's truth in the fact that for much of the year, my state and city are at minimum overcast, if not drizzly. We get a lot more drizzle than rainfall, hence the factoid above. Vitamin D supplements are a fact of life, and summer here starts July 5.
Sooooo as we're roughly a month into the "drizzle era," I felt the need for a splash of color to liven things up. Enter this book.
It actually entirely brings to mind one of my BFFs, a horticulturist; I could entirely envision her smiling and nodding, interjecting all sorts of commentary. I, on the other hand, felt pretty mind-blown at every turn. Sure, I've visited Victoria, BC's, Butchart Gardens during all 4 seasons--but _man_, even with that, I had no idea just the wide variety of plants, trees, and #allthethings that can and do come to life in the winter. This book represents #goals for bringing a pop (or a lot of pops) of color whenever I have my own "bit of earth" to work on!
The read is such a refreshing breath of fresh air during this (literal) winter season. It's brilliantly photographed; even if you're like me and your eyes glaze over at the Latin names in the photo captions, you'll absolutely find something to enjoy and appreciate here.
All the area drizzle where I live definitely means we have a lot of green here--and this book helps me to look for new signs of life and color, whether amidst the evergreens lining the freeway, or street-corner "mini gardens" lining most neighborhood intersections.
I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
And yet, there's truth in the fact that for much of the year, my state and city are at minimum overcast, if not drizzly. We get a lot more drizzle than rainfall, hence the factoid above. Vitamin D supplements are a fact of life, and summer here starts July 5.
Sooooo as we're roughly a month into the "drizzle era," I felt the need for a splash of color to liven things up. Enter this book.
It actually entirely brings to mind one of my BFFs, a horticulturist; I could entirely envision her smiling and nodding, interjecting all sorts of commentary. I, on the other hand, felt pretty mind-blown at every turn. Sure, I've visited Victoria, BC's, Butchart Gardens during all 4 seasons--but _man_, even with that, I had no idea just the wide variety of plants, trees, and #allthethings that can and do come to life in the winter. This book represents #goals for bringing a pop (or a lot of pops) of color whenever I have my own "bit of earth" to work on!
The read is such a refreshing breath of fresh air during this (literal) winter season. It's brilliantly photographed; even if you're like me and your eyes glaze over at the Latin names in the photo captions, you'll absolutely find something to enjoy and appreciate here.
All the area drizzle where I live definitely means we have a lot of green here--and this book helps me to look for new signs of life and color, whether amidst the evergreens lining the freeway, or street-corner "mini gardens" lining most neighborhood intersections.
I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
November 15, 2021
Winter Gardens: Reinventing the Season by Cedric Pollet is a fascinating look at both specific winter gardens as well the idea of a winter garden in general. The photography is wonderful and I found the text to be informative, though probably more as an intro than a how-to manual.
First, as a coffee table book, or one you want mostly for the photographs and introduction, this is beautiful. I can imagine the appearance of many of these gardens during winter won't appeal to some, they do have a considerably different type of beauty than we generally associate with a garden. But for those who do like it this book offers a lot.
Because there are so many variables involved in creating a garden that is attractive all year but really shines in winter it would be difficult to offer advice that is very specific. I do, however, think the section on the "Plant Palette" offers some ideas and suggestions that can be used as a starting point to investigate what might work where you live. From barks and shrubs to winter flowering and winter fruiting, there are plenty of options.
Though I am not in a position to actually create such a garden part of the fun is to imagine what I might try. Finding the right mix, for my taste and my climate, that will speak to me year round and make my cold winter just a bit more beautiful.
I would definitely recommend this to those who simply enjoy beautiful large format books as well as those looking for ideas for their own gardens, especially if you've mainly been thinking about how it would look in spring and summer.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
First, as a coffee table book, or one you want mostly for the photographs and introduction, this is beautiful. I can imagine the appearance of many of these gardens during winter won't appeal to some, they do have a considerably different type of beauty than we generally associate with a garden. But for those who do like it this book offers a lot.
Because there are so many variables involved in creating a garden that is attractive all year but really shines in winter it would be difficult to offer advice that is very specific. I do, however, think the section on the "Plant Palette" offers some ideas and suggestions that can be used as a starting point to investigate what might work where you live. From barks and shrubs to winter flowering and winter fruiting, there are plenty of options.
Though I am not in a position to actually create such a garden part of the fun is to imagine what I might try. Finding the right mix, for my taste and my climate, that will speak to me year round and make my cold winter just a bit more beautiful.
I would definitely recommend this to those who simply enjoy beautiful large format books as well as those looking for ideas for their own gardens, especially if you've mainly been thinking about how it would look in spring and summer.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
November 4, 2021
I now have Winter Garden envy thanks to this book! It's a stunning collection of photographs across a a variety of gardens in France and the UK, showing just how wonderful a garden can look during the winter months, when most people think there's nothing going on in gardens! Here's a book that proves that wrong!
Alongside the beautiful photos, there's wonderful text and useful information shared on the history of gardens and how they've evolved over the years and how more people are making an emphasis now on keeping the gardens looking good all year round. He looks in depth at the gardens that excel at this and if the photos don't inspire you then there's something wrong with you!
It looks at the plants that are often overlooked, and how during winter you rely more on structure and colour and goes into depth of various plants and trees and how they can be used to keep the interest going. I loved the lists of plants used and they are a really helpful guide for plant shopping as I'm definitely determined now to put more effort into my winter garden as this book has been a real inspiration and opened my eyes to a new way of using the garden all year round!
Alongside the beautiful photos, there's wonderful text and useful information shared on the history of gardens and how they've evolved over the years and how more people are making an emphasis now on keeping the gardens looking good all year round. He looks in depth at the gardens that excel at this and if the photos don't inspire you then there's something wrong with you!
It looks at the plants that are often overlooked, and how during winter you rely more on structure and colour and goes into depth of various plants and trees and how they can be used to keep the interest going. I loved the lists of plants used and they are a really helpful guide for plant shopping as I'm definitely determined now to put more effort into my winter garden as this book has been a real inspiration and opened my eyes to a new way of using the garden all year round!
November 1, 2021
Winter Gardens is a informational and photography book featuring gardens throughout England and France in what is typically considered to be their least beautiful season, Winter. In the case of the featured gardens, they have been designed to be beautiful throughout the year thanks to the trees planted there. Many of the trees and shrubs have bright colored bark that contrasts beautifully against the dark bare wood of other plants. The photographs in this book are truly stunning. I especially loved the ones showing the same spot in the garden in winter and late spring to show the difference in the foliage. In addition to information about the chosen gardens, the book provides an extensive resource of trees, bushes, and other plants that retain their beauty in the winter so that someone at home may be able to find something that will work in their garden.
Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group – White Lion for the ARC.
Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group – White Lion for the ARC.
January 28, 2018
Winter Gardens: Reinventing a Season
By Cedric Pollet
Publisher: Frances Lincoln
England
October 2017
Non-fiction, photography, home&garden
This book is a delight to those of us who enjoy gardening as it enlightens a season usually viewed as “dead” and unproductive. Most gardeners wait for the first garden catalog to arrive in spring as a sign to embark from hibernation. The author provides some interesting history of the winter garden. The pictures are wonderful with remarkable displays of winter color. Tree bark enthusiasts will enjoy the beautiful groupings of trees added flair against a winter background. This book displays mostly gardens of France and UK in particular but still an inspiration that winter need not be a time to “wait for spring” but to go outdoors and seek the beauty that lies in the winter landscape.
By Cedric Pollet
Publisher: Frances Lincoln
England
October 2017
Non-fiction, photography, home&garden
This book is a delight to those of us who enjoy gardening as it enlightens a season usually viewed as “dead” and unproductive. Most gardeners wait for the first garden catalog to arrive in spring as a sign to embark from hibernation. The author provides some interesting history of the winter garden. The pictures are wonderful with remarkable displays of winter color. Tree bark enthusiasts will enjoy the beautiful groupings of trees added flair against a winter background. This book displays mostly gardens of France and UK in particular but still an inspiration that winter need not be a time to “wait for spring” but to go outdoors and seek the beauty that lies in the winter landscape.
October 22, 2021
Absolutely gorgeous! Winter gardens with enchanting scenery and amazing vistas.
What did I like? Gorgeous book! Different winter gardens from several different gardeners and landscaping. Rustic and colorful pictures over a hundred pages of European landscape. A winter wonderland!
Would I recommend or buy? I loved it! Winter is a great season and this author gives gardening a winter look! Beautiful book!
I received a complimentary copy to read and voluntarily left a review! Five stars!
What did I like? Gorgeous book! Different winter gardens from several different gardeners and landscaping. Rustic and colorful pictures over a hundred pages of European landscape. A winter wonderland!
Would I recommend or buy? I loved it! Winter is a great season and this author gives gardening a winter look! Beautiful book!
I received a complimentary copy to read and voluntarily left a review! Five stars!
December 18, 2017
Beautiful photos of colorful and inspiring "winter gardens." In a few cases, winter photos were shown alongside summer photos, which is great for seeing how the plants look with lush foliage and without. I would've liked the author to include the plants' common names as well as cold-hardiness.
*Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC, provided by the author and/or the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
*Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC, provided by the author and/or the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
February 3, 2018
Won a goodreads giveaway for a copy of this book.
The photographs of winter gardens were at sometimes so breathtaking I had to remind myself that they weren't paintings and were in fact, actually real. The author focused on the lesser known attributes of plants and trees- their bark, the textures, and slight of colours that made a winter garden pop and how that differed from previous seasons.
The photographs of winter gardens were at sometimes so breathtaking I had to remind myself that they weren't paintings and were in fact, actually real. The author focused on the lesser known attributes of plants and trees- their bark, the textures, and slight of colours that made a winter garden pop and how that differed from previous seasons.
October 20, 2021
Winter Gardens by Cedric Miller
A stunning book . The images really capture the most beautiful images of winter gardens . An art book to be enjoyed all real round.
The addition of a listing of the gardens and suppliers of plants and trees is an added bonus as well.
A stunning book . The images really capture the most beautiful images of winter gardens . An art book to be enjoyed all real round.
The addition of a listing of the gardens and suppliers of plants and trees is an added bonus as well.
April 7, 2022
This is one of, if not the most, beautiful book about gardens I’ve had the pleasure to view. The photography is marvelous. If you think that gardens are all about flowers and that winter means a bare and colorless landscape, think again.
February 10, 2018
Fabulous pictures, a truly gorgeous garden inspirational book!
March 5, 2019
Beautiful and informative
December 30, 2021
*received for free from netgalley for honest review* Really pretty pictures, wish there was more snow but would be a good coffee table book
January 31, 2022
Great pictures and interesting text. It made me travel to different places and wish I was there.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
July 22, 2024
Winter Gardens is as much an art book as a garden book. Filled with exquisite photographs, it's one man's paean to trees with striking bark, particularly birches, maples & cherries, as well as coloured-stem dogwoods.
The gardens featured are all large to very large French private gardens & English public gardens so the planting layouts are of little use to the average suburban gardener. The last 75 pages consist of a plant palette, mostly trees & shrubs selected for their attractive bark but some for berries & flowers. Owners of smaller gardens could choose 1 to 3 trees & some smaller plants, preferably positioned so they can be seen from the house without venturing outdoors. I have an Arctostaphylos manzanita 'St Helena' serendipitously planted on a bank outside my living room where, from my sofa, I can watch the honeyeaters feeding on its nectar in late winter. (Not included in the book as it's not hardy in northern Europe).
Most of the trees & shrubs featured in this book are unsuited to most of Australia & very difficult to find, except at specialist nurseries, so the book really is just an art book here, albeit a very beautiful one. However, trees such as crepe myrtle, luma, Arbutus x andrachnoides or A. canariensis, Prunus mume, or smaller eucalyptus could be substituted in inland SE Australia.
The gardens featured are all large to very large French private gardens & English public gardens so the planting layouts are of little use to the average suburban gardener. The last 75 pages consist of a plant palette, mostly trees & shrubs selected for their attractive bark but some for berries & flowers. Owners of smaller gardens could choose 1 to 3 trees & some smaller plants, preferably positioned so they can be seen from the house without venturing outdoors. I have an Arctostaphylos manzanita 'St Helena' serendipitously planted on a bank outside my living room where, from my sofa, I can watch the honeyeaters feeding on its nectar in late winter. (Not included in the book as it's not hardy in northern Europe).
Most of the trees & shrubs featured in this book are unsuited to most of Australia & very difficult to find, except at specialist nurseries, so the book really is just an art book here, albeit a very beautiful one. However, trees such as crepe myrtle, luma, Arbutus x andrachnoides or A. canariensis, Prunus mume, or smaller eucalyptus could be substituted in inland SE Australia.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews