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Alicia was feeling bored. It was raining cats and dogs outside, and her elder sister Edith was impersonating Adult Edith, her nose deep in some ever-so-dry treatise on architectural history from father's library of ever-so-dry first editions. Alicia made the silent wish that her over-serious sibling's enunciation of the words 'entablature', 'neo-classical' and 'pilaster' would dry out the horrid wet weather so that she could search for disorientated felines and canines in the community garden downstairs. When it soon became clear that the wish would remain ungranted, she sighed and turned her attention to her decrepit toy rabbit…
Follow the adventures of Alicia Liddell in 'How Green is your Garden?' as she mounts an expedition through the uncharted landscape of the family Victorian flat. Peering from beneath our heroine's flights of fancy lie questions of an ecological bent, focussing on the impact of the environment on architecture rather than architecture on the environment. Is it possible for buildings to learn from organic systems? And can the banal interactions of flora and fauna in the domes tic flat be scaled up into hybrids of growing edifices and engineered gardens of gargantuan size?
Filled with doodles, recipes and otherworldly photo-drawings of imaginary green constructs, this kaleidoscopic record of Alicia's journey will delight.
Tropical gardens are some of the most spectacular to be found anywhere. The rich diversity of tropical flora and climates allows for an astonishing variety of forms, both native and introduced. Modern tropical gardens afford a display of striking plants from all over the world, in arrangements that blend the traditions of many countries and cultures. This highly successful compendium presents a selection of the most beautiful gardens of Hawaii, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia, including Bali. Traditional and modern types are considered, and the origins and individual features of each example are discussed in full. With a special section giving information on garden features, the book will be a source of ideas and inspiration to gardeners both in the tropics and in temperate regions.
Jane Austen's natural world--real and fictional--comes to life in this colorful, illustrated stroll through the gardens, parks and great estates of Regency England. With lush photos, social history, excerpts from Austen's novels, biographical information, drawings and diagrams, this book brings the great outdoors to readers eager to understand more details of Austen's environment. Also featured are instructions on how to create your own English garden and on where to see sites mentioned in the book. Gardens from movie adaptations of her novels are included.
(1)David Holmgren brings into sharper focus the powerful and still evolving Permaculture concept he pioneered with Bill Mollison in the 1970s. It draws together and integrates 25 years of thinking and teaching to reveal a whole new way of understanding and action behind a simple set of design principles. The 12 design principles are each represented by a positive action statement, an icon and a traditional proverb or two that captures the essence of each principle. Holmgren draws a correlation between every aspect of how we organize our lives, communities and landscapes and our ability to creatively adapt to the ecological realities that shape human destiny. For students and teachers of Permaculture this book provides something more fundamental and distilled than Mollison’s encyclopedic Designers Manual. For the general reader it provides refreshing perspectives on a range of environmental issues and shows how permaculture is much more than just a system of gardening. For anyone seriously interested in understanding the foundations of sustainable design and culture, this book is essential reading. Although a book of ideas, the big picture is repeatedly grounded by reference to Holmgren’s own place, Melliodora, and other practical examples.
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In this sumptuous survey, Penelope Hobhouse-distinguished plantswoman, garden designer, and historian-presents a definitive history of gardens and gardening, exploring the evolution of the Western model and the historical factors that have created the modern idea of gardening as both popular pastime and art form. Against this backdrop, Hobhouse focuses on the plants themselves-the raw materials of the garden maker's art. Splendidly illustrated with paintings, illuminated manuscripts, botanical drawings, and frescoes, as well as period and contemporary photographs, this is a classic work that will be referred to for years to come.
Hardcover
In this unique book, influential garden designer Dan Pearson - weekly columnist for The Observer - discloses his personal inspiration. Dan uses his own distinctive photographs as reference points, giving the reader a direct and intimate insight into where and what he draws upon when working on his own projects. The images show how he looks at his surroundings, and importantly, how they inform his approach of working with nature rather than attempting to dominate it. The theme running throughout the book is that of being able to read different landscapes, being open to ideas, and to take inspiration from many varying sources. The breadth of his influences include sculpture, treehouses and Chicago prairies, taking in locations both wild and gardened. Journeying from New Zealand to Japan, via Thames side barge gardens, he focuses on the `spirit' or `sense of place' generated by the geography, history, architecture, aspect and native flora of a particular site. Far from being a traditional gardening publication, this book expands the genre - inviting us to see gardening in a different light through the eyes of one of its most talented practitioners.
When it comes to slippery slopes, one thing you don't need is a steep learning curve. That's why Sunset is releasing a new edition of its popular Hillside Landscaping book. Hundreds of photographs illustrate just how beautiful hillside gardens can be, accented with elements such as streams, terraces, and boulders. Step-by-step instructions guide you through basic construction techniques for walls, paths, steps, waterfalls, and more. The garden chapter includes top plants and how-tos for rock gardens and water gardens. Whether your slope is slight or imposing, you'll find both inspiration and specifics here. Features:Extensive design guide features dozens of ideas in beautifully photographed hillside gardensGuidance on controlling erosion, managing drainage, installing irrigation, and protecting the garden from sun and windSpecial chapter on enhancing your hillside with water features and rocks
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