Books about gardens

susiebower · October 2023

Hi everyone - this is a bit of an odd one. My favourite part of GW magazine is the competition for the garden of the year - and I also love the visits to people's gardens in the TV programme. I'd love to find a book which focuses on ordinary people's gardens (not well-known public gardens) - how they created them, etc. But I can't find one! Any thoughts/suggestions please?

clematisdorset · October 2023

I do know of one. I will try to find the author's name!...

clematisdorset · October 2023

https://www.themiddlesizedgarden.co.uk/

The author is Alexandra Campbell. I am fairly sure she has published other books too about ordinary gardens.

Was it the size of gardening you are focusing on, @susiebower? Or some other aspect?

susiebower · October 2023

Thank you, @clematisdorset - I'd love to find a book about ordinary people's gardens and the story behind how they were created. There seem to be lots of books by experts, and books about well-known public gardens, but for me the thrill and enjoyment is reading about people like myself (only better at gardening!) and how they created a garden in their own back yard.

clematisdorset · October 2023

Yes, I know what you mean @susiebower 😊! Is it books specifically, or would blogs be of any use? Sometimes only a real book in your hands will do! Are you interested in community aspects or more how one garden has been born and then developed?

susiebower · October 2023

@clematisdorset - yes, books specifically, and yes, absolutely - it's so good to have a book you can refer to! I wish GW would do a compilation of all the winners of the competition over the years - I'd buy it like a shot! What I'm really wanting is exactly what GW publishes - lots and lots of ordinary people's gardens, from balconies to larger ones, and how they created them.

rowlandscastle444 · October 2023

@susiebower
Often ordinary peoples' gardens happen, not through any specific design, but through what they have available. Certainly, when I took mine on, I did it piecemeal. I'll admit that there was little planning. All I knew is that what was there upon purchase, I wanted to change entirely.

My parents, who were more avid gardeners than myself, were responsible for some of the planning. I chose the plants, they paid for many - and then did much of the work!! A birthday present!!

Some of what they put in has gone, and the only plants that remain from the garden we took on, are weeds, and some of the lawn.

Out came trees, shrubs, flowers, a shed, greenhouse, fencing and wall. In went fruit trees and bushes, shrubs and flowers, a new relocated shed, fencing, hedge and sweat!!

Has it stayed how I planned it? Not really, but the overall design has remained.

I imagine the average gardener does something similar.

Now about to move, and I'll give the new garden a chance to show me what it's got, then the approximate plan is for the same idea, given that the rear garden will be facing almost the same direction - south.

Edited to add:
I tend to look at what others have found successful in the vicinity, and work on a similar principle. I use my eyes and ears, Google maps, previous experience, and parents' knowledge.

susiebower · October 2023

Thanks, @pansyface! And @rowlandscastle444 - sounds like a real labour of love!

Fire · October 2023

It's a good question. This looks like it might be the kind of thing. Written by 100 ordinary gardeners. I can't vouch for it.

https://www.greenfingerscharity.org.uk/news/276/my-real-garden-book-launched

susiebower · October 2023

@Fire - thank you, you are GENIUS! Just ordered - it looks great.

Fire · October 2023

I will keep an eye out for this sort of book. I thought the NGS would have published exactly this kind of thing at some point, but I can't see anything. They should

Books about gardens

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