Truly an inspirational book, it will make you think about planning and creating a garden in a new way. This is about much more than just "put this plant here and that plant there," it's about integrating your garden with your home so they compliment and reflect each other, it's about combining the elements of landscape design to make a space you love, where you feel at peace. And the photos are delicious garden eye candy! This book is a pleasure to look through, and will get you dreaming!

#GardenSanctuary #NetGalley

Excellent! The author, through the use of easy to understand text and amazing photographs, explains garden design better than many, many books have done before. I have taken landscape architecture classes in college, have read many books on the subject, and have attended garden design lectures offered through several outlets. None could approach the ease the author displayed in explained the concepts.
If you are interested in designing your own garden or personal space, this is the book for you!

At first, I thought this would be just another "how to" book about landscape design, something I've yearned to be good at with little success. However, the deeper I delved into the book, the more I realized that it was different. I really felt as though I could understand the concepts of landscape design much better from this book than from others. I think it comes down to the author's use of photographic examples to illustrate the elements and principles of landscape design. Reading about such things with only diagrams to illustrate does not help me. But the photos really brought these concepts to life and helped me to understand how to apply them.

The later chapters of the book are the "nuts and bolts" of the actual design. Probably more suited to a beginning professional than the do-it-yourself gardener. But, I can tell that they come from lots of experience and teaching.

I shouldn't close without also mentioning the underlying "Arts and Crafts" influence on this book. Though not specifically noted in the title, the concepts are definitely there and contribute to the "garden as sanctuary" theme in the book. Well done!

About the Arts and Crafts Garden, but not reflected in title. The Preface gives a description of how this book evolved, but even so, I think there should be some reference to either bungalow or "Arts & Crafts." Otherwise, it seems like just another garden book without a purpose.

Excellent use of photographic examples to illustrate the elements and principles of landscape design. Much more effective than diagrams.

This book was a delightful surprise to me. I expected diagrams and planting instructions for creating garden areas. This book is so much more than that. It delves deeply into taking what is normally an indoor color palate and designing your garden space as an outdoor sanctuary that is a reflection of the colors and moods that inspire you. It urges you to think about the colors and flow of the he landscape. Is it soothing, does it contain all the colors you wish to reflect? Is it pleasing to the eye? It made me walk around and look at my yard with an entirely new perspective and I found it exciting to contemplate it like a blank canvas for artwork.

I am still in the process of planning because its becoming winter here but I have chosen bulbs and a few things I can either plant soon or have on my list for spring. But honestly what has always seemed a daunting task has become new and exciting to me. My only drawback is my commitment level to actually tending the landscape. With that in mind I will need to make sure I choose appropriately but otherwise I could not be happier with this book. It’s fantastic to me and really opened my eyes to the beauty that can be created with a little thought and planning. Dare I say I know that sounds dumb because obviously that is what landscaping entails. However, this book puts a new feel and purpose to this task and I no longer fear it but am excited to create the haven I want to walk outside and see everyday. I received this book from NetGalley for an honest review and it exceeded my hopes and it is a delight for me. If you are simply looking for clear design and structure you may not like it. This delves much more into artfully crafting your space. But that is exactly why I love it!!!