Tag: Garden Design

ECONOGAL > Garden Design

Small Garden Style Book Review

Posted on by Econogal

Design Guide

Isa Hendry Eaton and Jennifer Blaise Kramer combine to bring Small Garden Style: A Design Guide for Outdoor Rooms and Containers to the public. This is yet another 2020 release that I missed due to the restrictions of the pandemic. The gardening tips book is great for discovering one’s garden style.Cover of book Small Garden Style with white background and multiple small pots of various plants and a hand trowel

Focusing on the Small Garden

This how-to book starts off with a style quiz. After tabulating results, individual readers can skip to the section which describes them best. In my case, more than one style emerged from the quiz. And since by the time the quiz was over, I knew this book was a keeper, I ended up reading through all the styles.

The authors pay close attention to the function of the garden. Then the design flows. Almost every page has photos to illustrate the different styles. But it is more than a book full of pretty pictures. Small Garden Style serves as a textbook for those who truly want to learn about maximizing a small area for the greatest benefits.

Small Garden Design School

The second chapter in the book focuses on the five principles of design. Line& Space, Focal Point, Eye Candy, Layering & Repetition, and Contrast each earn several pages of explanation. Within the pages, photos are deconstructed in order to demonstrate the process. In addition to the tips and tricks, plant varieties in the photos are identified.

Plant Selection

More information on individual plants appears in the fourth chapter. The authors stress the importance of a High-to-Low Design. Trees represent the high points and naturally, ground covers stand in for the low points. Specific advice on how to layer plant heights, types and colors is found in this chapter.

 

Designer Tool Kit

The nuts and bolts of design is found in the final chapter, Designer Tool Kit. The homework of small garden style design is found in these pages. A yard will look professionally landscaped utilizing these tools and methods. Planning is the key to a lush looking landscape.

Recommendation for Small Garden Style

I love this book and have already put it to use at my house on the Plains. The high heat this summer has provided mixed results. New trees fair better if they can go into the ground earlier in the spring and the same holds true with perennials. A mid-June planting proves difficult. The techniques on color, number and repetition have yielded outstanding results. The chapter on container gardening also provided stunning arrangements. Small Garden Style is perfect for either the public or home library.

Groundbreaking Food Gardens Book Review

Posted on by Econogal

Groundbreaking Food Gardens Book cover of Groundbreaking Food Gardens

Niki Jabbour is the author of Groundbreaking Food Gardens. This great garden planning book contains 73 garden plans to inspire you. Jabbour gives a brief introduction to her 72 contributors. Then each designer provides a layout and tips for their garden. Groundbreaking Food Gardens comprises a wide range of gardens. There is truly something for everyone.

The table of contents allows the reader to pinpoint the type of garden they are thinking about without reading from cover to cover. But reading straight through benefits the serious gardener. Each of the contributors explains the how and whys of their design. Additionally, the garden experts provide lots of information. Tips on succession planting, soil amendment and water rates add to the book.

Eclectic best describes the multitude of garden designs. The sections include potted gardens, roof top gardens as well as large-scale operations. Some of the gardens are strictly focused on edible plants. Others combine food and flower. Still others are designed with backyard living in mind. Quite a few plans are geared toward kids. Both the Chicago Hot Dog Garden and the OTTO Pizza Garden incorporate familiar shapes into the garden. This visual approach is fun for kids (and adults.)

Groundbreaking Design InstructionsDescription of garden reducing grocery bill

One of the best elements of Groundbreaking Food Gardens is the instructions for implementing the designs. Details for achieving the same or similar look are provided in an easy to understand manner. For example, a step-by-step guide for planting a knot garden explains the spacing and layout of the plants along with the materials needed. Diagrams are provided for individual plant layout. Other structures such as containers and pallet gardens also include instructions.

There are sidebars sprinkled throughout the pages. Some, like the one on Lasagna Gardening are page long and appear in the table of contents. Others like the snippet on square foot garden give the reader just a taste. Many of the contributors share their personal knowledge gained through years of gardening.

Groundbreaking Food Gardens covers so many possible ways to grow nutritious food. I knew some of the techniques such as the Lasagna Bed and the Square Foot Gardening. But many others contained new information. While several of the garden designs require some experience, quite a few were geared toward beginning gardeners. This book has something for everyone.

Book pages describing kid friendly gardens