The book ‘Garden Design Master Class‘ is the follow-up to Carl Dellatore’s best-selling Interior Design Master Class. Recreating that successful formula, edited by Carl Dellatore and published by Rizzoli New York, the book brings together 100 essays by some of the top garden designers working today–from acknowledged experts such as Nancy Goslee Power on sunlight and Arabella Lennox-Boyd on borders to acclaimed tastemakers such as Carolyne Roehm on the pleasures of a vegetable garden.

Spanning styles and genres, principles and tenets, the essays and accompanying images of the designer’s work impart expert design advice and philosophy, from practical considerations such as seedlings and pathways to stylistic concerns such as asymmetry and rhythm. Each essay is grouped under one of six thematic sections (Theory, Process, Style, Structure, Elements, and Inspiration).

In Theory the rhythm of geometry creates a lively and comfortable path. The alternating stone and grass joints create a pattern in a straight line, which lands in a circular terrace. Blending curves and lines creates additional geometry and rhythm. In Process sculptures can act as the bridge between the softer, natural edges in the garden and the solidity of the surrounding architecture.

In Style the natural garden is not only focused on avoiding the use of pesticides, but focuses on attracting insects as a way to restore a natural balance to the landscape. To that end, it included an array of pollen-producing flowering plants in the garden. In Structure, besides creating order, structures are integral to the garden’s aesthetic. They should be designed as an extension of the style and architecture of the house as well as an accent to the existing landscape beyond the garden. Designing them as part of their natural surroundings is particularly important in the country garden.

One of the Elements is using the spring-flowering bulbs in the garden. This option adds special value. There are many ways, like borders, a meadow, or pots and containers, to colour the garden. Important is the combination and the sequence of flowering periods. In Inspiration informed by the geometry and massing of the house’s architecture, the surrounding landscape utilizes crisp lines and forms to echo the stonework. The contrasting free-form trees provide a naturalistic counterpoint.

‘Garden Design Master class’ allows the reader an opportunity to experience the magic of cultivating the natural beauty of plants, ultimately becoming a comprehensive study of garden design.

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