Dream Plants for the Natural Garden: Over 1,200 Beautiful and Reliable Plants for a Natural Garden

There is a lot of detailed information about the plants and you need to have time and patience to work your way through what you think may best suit your own garden

Will be perfect to help with making our new garden. Photos are great. Very helpful

Although by no means a 'specialist gardener', I was attracted both by the approach (natural garden) and reviews plus the fact that the authors are Dutch (as am I). Their straightforward 'no nonsense' approach with all of the helpful tips is great. For amateur gardeners like me, you may be overwhelmed with information, but the categorisation system and tips as well as links made by type of plant are very helpful and allow the reader to be as creative as possible within the parameters of their own garden. Highly recommended.

Mine is a densely planted, fully landscaped 5 acre garden which I started from scratch, single-handed, 23 years ago. I still manage it single-handed at 78, apart from a little help with the mile of hedge and 6 miles of lawn edge. This garden, and 27 years of previous gardens, are my credentials for reviewing gardening books.This is a lovely book, written in a light, easy-readable style, with a pleasant wit, and generously and nicely illustrated. A pleasure to own, in fact, and an enjoyable bedtime read. However, despite their vast experience and unquestionable standing in the world of professional horticulture, the authors make blunt generalised statements about individual plants which are patently untrue, for example, recommending plants which in my garden have proved almost ineradicable pests on a par with Aegopodium (so much for "Dream Plants"), condemning as ungrowable others which flourish here without any help from me whatsoever, and making unwarranted declarations about soil requirements in individual cases. But many other gardening writers fall into the same trap. Buy the book by all means, but find out for yourself what does and does not grow for you. (Although do find out your soil's pH for the really obvious cases)The authors condemn the use of weedkillers. The only problem with weedkillers is improper use, and without such aids, I would have no garden to comfort my old age.

I chose this rating because I am doing a community project with this style of planting. I spent many hours trying to choose suitable plants and this book gives it as it is - truth - and I needed that for a public space.I liked the fact that Piet Oudolf is honest about some species being better than others so that choice can be made wisely.The very best part was on Capricious Plants and tender Biennuals and perenials, because the site being used is cold and the soil heavy maintenance must be kept at a minimum but have a look of a soft inviting space with colour and flow but still look natural. A must have book for all honest gardeners.

I was so looking forward to getting this book but my enthusiasm slipped away a couple pages in when I noticed the poor quality of the photos. Many are pixelated and the cmyk channels are not aligned properly on a number of photos making them look blurry.A real disappointment on the visual front but the plant details and information is top-notch. I cannot fault the text.

Really beautifully written book a joy to read as not only is each plant catehorisedinto sections according to their hardiness or invasiveness but also personal notes are on some of the plants that Oudolf loves to use. A lot of xare has been put into the compilation of plants. It also has little chapter breaks that give you insight on what is in the mind of the amazing Landscape Designer. A real jem of a book!

Lovely book. Really useful resource. Delivered as promised. Great service. Thanks