Planting

May 1, 2013

European landscape architects Oudolf and Kingsbury (coauthors, Planting Design) believe 21st-century gardens are all about working with Mother Nature rather than against her. The authors are convinced that perennials are the key to a striking garden that also supports biodiversity, so not surprisingly, their latest book is all about perennials, from selecting the right ones for your soil and location to grouping and combining them in a garden. After opening with an overview of the symbiotic relationship between gardens and the ecosystem, the authors provide a detailed blueprint for how they mix and match plants to achieve maximum effects with a minimum impact on the environment. The book's gorgeous photographs of the gardens created by Oudolf--including New York City's High Line and the Lurie Garden in Chicago--effectively illustrate their design philosophy, while an included plant directory provides practical details on those varieties the authors have found most useful in their work. VERDICT This is a thoughtful, insightful guide that deserves serious consideration by garden design professionals as well as anyone involved in public landscaping projects. In addition, home gardeners willing to invest the time needed to absorb the authors' thought processes will be richly rewarded with beautiful, ecologically sound gardens.--John Charles, Scottsdale P.L., AZ

Copyright 2013 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 15, 2012
Designers of some of the world's most distinctive gardens, Oudolf and Kingsbury bring their unrivaled expertise and iconic aesthetic sense to bear as they consider twenty-first-century trends and challenges confronting both home gardeners and landscape professionals. Faced with concerns such as sustainability, biodiversity, nature deficit, and water reclamation, they extol high-performance designs that aim to collaborate with nature rather than control it. In truth, their gardens are paragons of apparent spontaneity, exhibiting an exuberance that seems neither forced nor contrived. Through innovative plant combinations and naturalistic landscape designs, modern gardens can address contemporary opportunities such as green roofs and urban prairies with an air of casualness that belies the importance of ecologically sound planting methods. Teeming with delectable examples of the authors' signature, free-flowing gardens, the book also includes a comprehensive, at-a-glance plant directory that both private gardeners and industry professionals will find helpful. Luscious photographs and meticulous explanations of techniques and methods make this an essential reference guide and constant source of inspiration.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)