The English Garden Hardcover – October 23, 2006

Great for garden lovers

For the price (even at Amazon's discount) I expected the photos to be a better quality, perhaps a little glossy too. The photos are beautiful but they actually look better on line when you view Amazon's peak inside. In the book the pictures look like the copies I get from an in-jet printer of my old family photos. Not as sharp and clear as the original. If you are looking for inspiration and excellent instructions on how to create an English Garden then I recommend Ursula's other book- "The Ultimate Garden Book For North America." This one is a great coffee table book. You and your guests will enjoy looking at it once in a while. There are phtotos on almost every page. However, I don't think it will be very useful if you want to update or create a new room in your garden.At the end of each chapter there is a list of gardens in England that you can visit for the particular theme.The Chapters are titled as follows:1. Formal Bones (60 pages)2. Floral Exuberance (52 pages)3. The Landscape Tradition (30 pages)4. The Country Garden (36 pages)5. Gardening with Nature (26 pages)6. Influences from Abroad (22 pages)7. Ornament in the Garden (32 pages)8. Water, Water Everywhere (30 pages)9. The English Rose (20 pages)10. The Kitchen Garden ( 28 pages)11. The Contemporary Garden (28 pages) Notes (20 pages)

A fabulous book exploring the depths of English Gardens. The masterful author guides the reader through the best of gardens from around the country and puts them in historical context. The book is chocked full of beautiful color images and the explanations next to each are relevant and insightful.The book can be used as a reference guide, as a guide book if you are interested in touring English gardens, or as a book for ideas for your own garden.Bravo. One of the best gardening books I own.

Just recently came back from ab English vacation and I'm obsessed with their gardens! Beautiful book, nicely written with wonderful pictures. Gives me great ideas for my own English style Garden!

after having read this book I came to the conclusion that the writer & photographer were over ambitious to cover the entire subject of the English garden. the text simply does not tie up with the photographs which are short by about 200 in my estimation. 1 good photo says a thousand words. when you are discussing a certain garden you have to have illustrations to bring it to life. every chapter could actually be a book in itself. there should have been several volumes if you want to go into so much detail. the book simply does not flow, quite frustrating at times. you get the feeling the writer was at pains to include so many gardens, it comes through.

I received my book the day prior to the projected delivery date in top class condition.I must let everyone know if you happen to love gardens then this is one book you must have. The pictures are just astonishingly beautiful and those who put this book together have taken great care in ensuring the location of these incredible gardens (true works of art) is clear for the reader to see.A wonderful wonderful book!!!

The book I purchased from Amazon is exactly as advertised. It is not a scholarly work, but the author knows her subject well, and discusses and explains it in easy-to-read language. Her remarks are appropriate to the purpose of the book. The illustrations fit well with the text and are remarkable in their scope and beauty. It is a very good price for a book of this quality.

My wife loves gardens and this book has many ideas for making your garden special.

A really outstanding tour de force. A comprehensive overview of the subject with perfectly chosen photographs. I must say this book has helped me hugely understand my own likes and dislikes, truly inspirational. I am definitely planning some interesting garden outings next time I am in the UK. A "must" for garden lovers.

Good review of various styles of garden supported by excellent photographs.

How delighted I was to own this book. Missed it when it was first released; was reading comments on it and decided to buy. A big book with fantastic, sharp and clear photos by Andrew Lawson. A very well recommended book. Hope it keeps in print.You will want to refer back to it often.

Bought as a gift for my Mother who has really enjoyed reading it

This was a present for a friend and she was absolutely delighted with it. It appears to be a "coffee-table" type of book, but she found herself reading it from cover to cover.