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Shocking Beauty
Find inspiration and fresh ideas with this beautifully photographed garden design book.
In Shocking Beauty , visionary garden impresario Thomas Hobbs offers his original and trendsetting treatises on garden design. In inspiring essays such as "Portable drams", "Staging Incidents" and "Zonal Denial, Hobbs uses examples from exceptional gardens throughout North America and Europe to demonstrate how a garden freed from the bonds of conventional design can result in spaces of singular and startling allure. Hobbs suggests that nature is the best teacher for blending color, texture and plant species to create "shocking beauty" in a garden.
Shocking Beauty offers an in-depth gardening book with a twist-it enables you to discover what it takes to stop people in their tracks and realize how stunning nature can be. Illustrated with over 200 striking full-color photographs, this thought-provoking book will inspire people who've never gardened before and invigorate the passions of those who already know the joy of gardening.
Garden design topics
In Shocking Beauty , visionary garden impresario Thomas Hobbs offers his original and trendsetting treatises on garden design. In inspiring essays such as "Portable drams", "Staging Incidents" and "Zonal Denial, Hobbs uses examples from exceptional gardens throughout North America and Europe to demonstrate how a garden freed from the bonds of conventional design can result in spaces of singular and startling allure. Hobbs suggests that nature is the best teacher for blending color, texture and plant species to create "shocking beauty" in a garden.
Shocking Beauty offers an in-depth gardening book with a twist-it enables you to discover what it takes to stop people in their tracks and realize how stunning nature can be. Illustrated with over 200 striking full-color photographs, this thought-provoking book will inspire people who've never gardened before and invigorate the passions of those who already know the joy of gardening.
Garden design topics
- GenresGardeningNonfiction
160 pages, Hardcover
First published September 15, 1999
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
September 28, 2012
Terrific book, exactly what I expected from Vancouver’s most flamboyant & passionate gardener. Yes, the writing style is extravagant, his opinions and concepts on garden design often over-the-top. Thomas doesn't just plant flowers after all, he 'stages incidents'; rather than just potting up he creates 'portable drama'.
Great book for creative ideas, in particular if you like to make the odd 'shocking garden statement' yourself. Just leafing through the artful photography will inspire you to try something a little different. Be forewarned, this book will have you ripping out all yellow & red tulips combinations, clichés just won’t cut it for you anymore.
Note: Thomas lives in Vancouver BC where he has the luxury of a zone 8 climate zone. So if you live in a less moderate part of the country, I'm not sure this would be much value to you.
Great book for creative ideas, in particular if you like to make the odd 'shocking garden statement' yourself. Just leafing through the artful photography will inspire you to try something a little different. Be forewarned, this book will have you ripping out all yellow & red tulips combinations, clichés just won’t cut it for you anymore.
Note: Thomas lives in Vancouver BC where he has the luxury of a zone 8 climate zone. So if you live in a less moderate part of the country, I'm not sure this would be much value to you.
November 27, 2011
Oh man!
What a let down!
There was nothing shocking about the boring plantings in this book. The photos were grainy and I'm not certain the text was edited... a personal pet peeve of mine. Oh have I mentioned it before? Hm.
I was hoping for some unusual elements and/or creative combinations... but the most unusual thing was the use of bowling balls as edging.
Yeah... not so shocking. Also, it is important to note that the vast majority of the plantings seemed to be west coast plantings. If you are new to planting combinations and happen to live on the West Coast, there are better books. Sorry.
Skip it.
What a let down!
There was nothing shocking about the boring plantings in this book. The photos were grainy and I'm not certain the text was edited... a personal pet peeve of mine. Oh have I mentioned it before? Hm.
I was hoping for some unusual elements and/or creative combinations... but the most unusual thing was the use of bowling balls as edging.
Yeah... not so shocking. Also, it is important to note that the vast majority of the plantings seemed to be west coast plantings. If you are new to planting combinations and happen to live on the West Coast, there are better books. Sorry.
Skip it.
February 9, 2009
The gardens in this book are top notch, but the grammatical errors, flowery type, and the occasional blurry photograph were distracting. Read Hobbes' other book, The Jewel Box Garden. Gorgeous photographs in that one.
August 28, 2010
Good book on landscape design.
July 11, 2014
I really enjoyed the pictures in this beautiful book; very nice composition and use of color and contrast. Just looking at the lovely scenes makes me want to be in those very charming places.
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October 30, 2011Call Number: 712 HOB
A gift from Ralph and Kayanne GARBER DAY in memory of former Covenant members: Louise COATES HARDIE and James Bryson HARDIE.
Checked Out.
A gift from Ralph and Kayanne GARBER DAY in memory of former Covenant members: Louise COATES HARDIE and James Bryson HARDIE.
Checked Out.
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May 8, 2018wonderful gardening guide
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews