The Idea of the Cottage in English Architecture is a history of the late Georgian phenomenon of the architect-designed cottage and the architectural discourse that articulated it. It is a study of small buildings built on country estates, and not so small buildings built in picturesque rural settings, resort towns and suburban developments. At the heart of the English idea of the cottage is the Classical notion of retreat from the city to the countryside. This idea was adopted and adapted by the Augustan-infused culture of eighteenth-century England where it gained popularity with writers, artists, architects and their wealthy patrons who from the later eighteenth century commissioned retreats, gate-lodges, estate workers' housing and seaside villas designed to 'appear as cottages'. The enthusiasm for cottages within polite society did not last. By the mid-nineteenth century, cottage-related building and book publishing had slowed and the idea of the cottage itself was eventually lost beneath the Tudor barge-boards and decorative chimneystacks of the Historic Revival. And yet while both designer and consumer have changed over time, the idea of the cottage as the ideal rural retreat continues to resonate through English architecture and English culture.

This practical book is packed with big ideas for small gardens. Written by an experienced garden designer, it guides the reader through the principles of design, with special reference to small spaces. Chapters describe innovative use of different materials and imaginative planting combinations.

Published originally by Kegan Paul in 1935, this vital work by the western master of Japanese flower arranging covers all aspects, schools and historic styles of this important art form. An indispensable book for all those many people worldwide who practice this art.

Marco Frascari believed that architects should design thoughtful buildings capable of inspiring their inhabitants to have pleasurable and happy lives. A visionary Italian architect, academic and theorist, Frascari is best-known for his extraordinary texts, which explore the intellectual, theoretical and practical substance of the architectural discipline. As a student in Venice during the late 1960s, Frascari was taught and mentored by Carlo Scarpa. Later he moved to North America with his family, where he became a fulltime academic. Throughout his academic career, he continued to work on numerous architectural projects, including exhibitions, competition entries, and designs for approximately 35 buildings, a small number of which were built. As a means of (re)constructing the theatre of imaginative theory within which these buildings were created, Sam Ridgway draws on a wide selection of Frascari's texts, including his richly poetic book Monsters of Architecture, to explore the themes of representation, demonstration, and anthropomorphism. Three of Frascari's delightful buildings are then brought to light and interpreted, revealing a sophisticated and interwoven relationship between texts and buildings.

On a seven-acre small holding in rural Northern Ireland, organic gardener Jo Facer and head chef Erin Bunting run fork-to-fork supper club, organic small-holding and fledgling cooking and growing school, The Edible Flower. In their first cookbook, learn to grow and cook edible flowers with Jo and Erin's delicious recipes inspired by the seasonal produce they grow in their kitchen garden and the wild food they forage from their local shores and hedgerows. Feast, celebrate and bring people together with over 50 recipes for small plates, mains, desserts, baking, snacks and drinks, at once fresh and flavourful and absolutely stunning to serve. Recipes include: Ribboned Courgette & Avocado Salad with Poppy Seeds & Calendula, Pot Marigold Soda Bread, Lilac Panna Cotta with Strawberries, Rice with Lemon Verbena, Cardamom & Edible Flower Petals, Marigold Petal Pasta, Courgette Flower Tacos, Carnation and Blackberry Cooler, Slow Roast Lamb with Lavender, Lemon & Apricots, Blackberry & Sweet Geranium Tart, Vietnamese Summer Rolls with Violas, Aubergine Katsu Curry with Pickled Magnolia and many more ...

A complete guide to cultivating and harvesting the beautiful opium poppy.
The opium poppy is a potent plant that has been cultivated and used for thousands of years to alleviate suffering. The use of plant substances as alternatives to synthetic medicines is resurging due to their beneficial properties and less-toxic side effects. For example, many cancer and HIV sufferers are growing opium for personal use.
"Opium Poppy Garden" is the only book available that describes the cultivation, harvest and pharmacology of opium in a format that combines literary and instructional writing. The heart of the book is the tale of Ch'ien, a young Chinese man who travels from Costa Rica to Columbia to grow an opium garden in the manner his Taoist grandfather taught him. The story, in conjunction with "The Cultivator's Diary" and the technical appendix, provide the reader with a working knowledge of this plant.

Veronica Fowler's comprehensive step-by-step manual shows you not only how to install your water garden, but maintain it entirely on your own."Backyard Water Gardens" teaches you how to install liners, pre-formed shapes, containers, and aboveground pools and fountains. From there, it helps you choose plants, add them to your garden, fertilize, prune, divide, and ward off pests and diseases. But Fowler's book goes far beyond the basics, covering all the maintenance and troubleshooting of water feature hardscapes--from a rip in a liner, to a damaged pool, to maintaining equipment and filters (including seasonal maintenance for winter care). Veronica Fowler's "Backyard Water Gardens" allows you to fully enjoy the convenience and versatility of water gardening, all while maintaining it with ease for years to come."Backyard Water Gardens" is truly an all-inclusive manual, encompassing every style, type, and size of water feature imaginable. No matter the "feel" you wish to convey in your garden--casual, formal, or whimsical--Fowler's book enables you to create it with confidence. Your range of hardscape options is incredibly vast, from small, container-sized fountains that complement any space with added sound and movement, to large in-ground or aboveground ponds and streams. Larger installations not only provide soothing, rejuvenating sights and sounds; they can also house fish and plants and passively attract natural wildlife to your backyard.

Take a visual tour of gardens and homes in one Pacific Coast area, the South Bay of Los Angeles County, which includes Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, and Redondo Beach. A distinctive feature of Southern California's beach communities is how often homeowners enclose their front yards. Because of the dense development in the residential neighborhoods adjacent to the ocean, some property lines have been clearly defined by fences, garden walls, and ornaments. Here find compelling photographs that will inspire homeowners and gardeners who are looking to define their own outdoor spaces. Organized by the function of the fences and types of enclosures, this book also includes sidebars about the evolution and history of some unique property divisions and homeowner stories.

Social and ecological guidelines for designing and maintaining small parks

Designing Small Parks: A Manual for Addressing Social and Ecological Concerns draws on a wide range of knowledge to provide a one-stop reference to building better parks.

Integrating design criteria with current social and natural science research, Designing Small Parks presents landscape architects, park designers, park departments, planners, scientists, and civic groups with a broad palette of design options. Beginning with an overview of key issues and terms, this accessible manual is arranged around twelve topics that represent key questions, contradictions, and tensions in the design of small parks.

Designing Small Parks features: Concise guidelines providing immediate access to critical information Fundamental material on size, edges, appearance, and naturalness Ecological and human environment coverage of water, plants, wildlife, and air and climate Succinct summaries of issues surrounding clients and other involved parties Over 100 drawings and photographs illustrating design details Up-to-date scientific research Five conceptual design examples that offer hands-on applications of covered material

Ever dreamed of having your very own garden retreat? Off-the-shelf sheds aren't always the answer - the cheap ones are badly made and freezing cold, and the better quality ones are really expensive. But what if you could build your own shed from scratch? How to Build a Shed is the ultimate practical guide. With its clear, easy-to-follow instructions, expert advice and specially commissioned illustrations, you'll be able to source the materials, choose the right tools and build your dream shed on a budget - even if you've never used a hammer.

In Postcards from the Hedge, Jill Appenzeller reflects on life, family, and human nature in the context of her ever-changing garden. The book is a collection of vivid vignettes that span all four seasons as well as decades of memories both in and out of the garden. From Gossip Girls, the story of the neighborhood kids organizing a garden club, to I Don't Want It Perfect I Want It Tuesday, about all the things that never get done in life as well as in the garden, this is the story of humbling failures and unexpected surprises, of friends and friendships, and the gift of being present in the moment. Filled with humorous anecdotes and surprising insights. Postcards from the Hedge explores what gardening can teach us about ourselves and the world we live in.

The Cut Flower Garden: Erin Benzakein is a florist-farmer, leader in the locaflor farm-to-centerpiece movement, and owner of internationally renowned Floret Flower Farm in Washington's lush Skagit Valley. A stunning flower book: This beautiful gardening book and guide to growing, harvesting, and arranging gorgeous blooms year-round provides readers with vital tools to nurture a stunning flower garden and use their blossoms and cut flowers to create show-stopping arrangements. It makes a beautiful gift for any occasion, for friends, loved ones and gardening lovers alike! Floret Farm's Cut Flower Garden: Cut Flower Garden is equal parts instruction and inspiration-a flower gardening book overflowing with lush photography of magnificent flowers and breathtaking arrangements organized by season. Find inspiration in this lush flower book: Irresistible photos of Erin's flower farm that showcase exquisite blooms Tips for growing in a variety of spaces and climates Step-by-step instructions for lavish garlands, airy centerpieces, and romantic florist design and decor for every season If you liked Paris in Bloom, you'll love Floret Farm's Cut Flower Garden.

The ultimate flower-arrangement reference book from New York's 'go-to' floral designers Putnam & Putnam – how to combine the extraordinary colors in nature to create stunning results Cult floral designers Darroch and Michael Putnam's Flower Color Theory, the follow-up to their acclaimed globally bestselling debut Flower Color Guide, is the only guide that uses color theory as the starting point for floral design. The book features 175 arrangements that show myriad ways to combine flowers of different shades and hues, all built around classic categories including analogous, complementary, monochrome, triadic, transitional, and accent colors. Flower Color Theory is both inspirational and a practical guide to creating lush, romantic, and effortlessly elegant creations of your own.        

The true meaning of Ikebana--the traditional Japanese art of flower arrangement--is the ability to take a few beautiful flowers and plans and tastefully present them in very simple containers to decorate your home. Whether for Mother's Day, Valentine's Day, or a special birthday or anniversary--"Japanese Ikebana for Every Season" simplifies and demystifies this ancient art by presenting 53 elegantly simple arrangements that anyone can create at anytime at home.
The key to good Ikebana arrangements is to understand a few very simple principles--like the idea of "mitate"--seeing old things with new eyes, as well as learning a few very easy techniques of flower stabilization and how to support plants and flowers inside a vase or container. Using simple, common flowers and plants from your garden, from a nearby field or forest, or from your local florist--you can easily create these lovely Ikebana in just a few minutes if you know how.
Authors Rie Imai and Yuji Ueno explain how to select the flowers and the containers by simply using things that are already around you--and then they show you how to turn them into something special. The basic instructions in the book cover a wide range of styles that encourage readers to use their own creativity rather than copying traditional and highly technical Ikebana design concepts.
No matter what time of year it is and regardless of your taste or budget--the arrangements in this book will lend a touch of Japanese elegance to your home

Featuring over 40 cool, high-maintenance-looking plants, The Unkillables will ensure your put your plant-murdering days firmly in the past, and will transform your home into the gorgeous green space you always dreamed of. Are you a plant killer? There's nothing more heart-breaking than bringing your new plant baby home, only to have it die a slow death in front of your very eyes. Was it too much water? Not enough sunlight? A drafty corner? The reasons for planticide can seem endless! In The Unkillables, Jo Lambell shares her houseplant knowledge so that even the biggest plant serial killers can have an abundant indoor garden. Jo will take the fear out of the unknown and equip those with no green fingers at all with the skills they need to keep their plants alive and thriving. Plants can be a little intimidating - with their fancy Latin names, complex terminology and 'just look at me and I'll perish' reputation - so choosing hardy, tolerant plants is the best place to start. Jo walks you through the basics of care - light, water, location - as well as sharing information on repotting, propagating, cleaning, First Aid and more.

A celebration of season, Flower Philosophy presents a selection of beautiful arrangements designed to free readers from the pressures of perfection and instead encourage creative freedom, intuition and original results. Flowers are not perfect, and flower arranging shouldn't be either. Anna Potter, author of best-selling Flower Fix, teaches us how to listen and learn from nature to create something truly original with 25 combinations of stems and foliage. Free yourself from a prescriptive, one- size-fits-all approach and let each unique bloom inspire you with this refreshingly honest and liberating florist's guide. Featuring: A NEW PERSPECTIVE: Start with nature and let this inform your arranging A WEALTH OF PRACTICAL ADVICE: All the basic, essential information on flora, seasons, colour and arranging BUDGET-CONSCIOUS CHOICES: From small humble buds to large luxe flowers eg weed arrangements. Plus foliage, fruit, vegetables, sea shells and anything grown out of the ground. 25 FLEXIBLE FLOWER PROJECTS: Step-by-step, with options/prompts to encourage autonomy, originality, creativity PERSONAL TOUCHES: Author's stories, poems, thoughts, experiences and musings FLORAL THERAPY: Tips to improve wellbeing with nature; tap into its mindful benefits throughout the arranging process A FLOWER THESAURUS: An unorthodox flower index of favourite and too-often-forgotten flowers, ideas for pairings, benefits to the senses and mood, meanings etc. Arranged by season, Anna Potter guides you through the process of creating your own wreathes, bouquets and installations, all using flowers that can be bought, found and foraged from your neighbourhood. Accompanied by stunning photography from India Hobson, this book provides the basic foundations to pick, choose and assemble with unlimited possibilities.

DK brings you an all-encompassing horticultural handbook to fulfil your every leaf and legume! Get your gardening gloves on, as best-selling author Huw Richards takes you on a green-fingered journey to be an undefeated veg-grower! A recent study suggests 38% of British adults use their gardens to grow herbs and vegetables. But with the ever-growing pressure of balancing family life with a career, a lot of today's green-fingered gardeners simply lack time for vegetable growing. Huw is on a mission to change that! Whatever your horticultural hopes may be, Huw Richards brings you a veg-growing guide that is sure to shape the next generation of green-fingered gardeners like never before, full of top tips on smart gardening, without compromising on time, effort or money. With passion in every page, you can enjoy: -Tons of tips and tricks to maximise efficiency of your vegetable gardens -Skillful and solid information to disparage the common myth that gardening requires too much time and effort -Easy to follow step-by-step instructions of fundamental gardening techniques -Visual representations of Huw's innovative ideas to easily apply to your own vegetable garden After the immeasurable success of his first two gardening books 'Veg in One Bed' and 'Grow Food for Free', Huw brings you a riveting third release, full of simple yet effective strategies to leave you with a patch to be proud of! By applying a strategic approach to your veggie patch, from choosing the right compost to using the correct cultivation tools, Huw assures that even the most hapless of gardeners can unearth the endless potential that all gardens possess, no matter the shape or size! Why not stand out from the crowd with this fully-illustrated veggie handbook, and start your intuitive gardening journey today to reap the benefits of a more bountiful harvest. An ideal gift for the green-fingered gardener or budding botanist in your life! With over 500,000 subscribers on YouTube, Huw Richards is keen to share his 17 years' experience on maximising productivity of vegetable patches, so get those gloves on, and join the journey today! Ready, set, let's grow!

Rousham in Oxfordshire was one of the first landscape gardens created in England and is, still, one of the most influential. Designed by William Kent in the late 1730s for the Cottrell-Dormer family (who are its owners today) it has become a place of pilgrimage for landscape architects and garden designers worldwide as well as garden lovers. Its magical glades and sculptural set-pieces have long intrigued Francis Hamel, who has lived and worked there for 25 years. Since the beginning of 2020 he has composed an extraordinary collection of paintings that capture the gardens and their magic. With essays by Tom Stuart-Smith, Joanna Kavenna and Christopher Woodward, the reader is led down its mysterious pathways; from tree-shaded walks peopled with statues of Pan, Venus and other immortals to sun-dappled meadows carpeted with wild flowers. It is just as Kent left it- a secret garden that is open to all.

Most gardens have shady spots, but some gardens have a real shade ‘problem’. Whether it is caused by large or overhanging trees, tall buildings, or just being on the ‘wrong side of the street’, fi nding the best plants for a shady area can be challenging, particularly if the rest of your garden basks in sunshine all year round. Shade plants are not necessarily tropical, although many tropical plants thrive in shade. Some delicate leafy plants will scorch and burn in hot sun, some plants like shady conditions but not damp soil, while others grow happily in damp, boggy ground that receives minimum sunlight. Gardening in the Shade examines the different types of shade and the effect it has on plant growth.

It presents solutions to common problems such as feeding, watering and mulching shade plants, and how to deal with exacerbating factors such as wind, frost and soil type. Popular shade plants, like clivias, bromeliads, fuchsias and ferns are given special features, and a directory of species lists plants under headings like ground covers, tropical-looking perennials, and succulents.

A bestselling classic completely revised and updated The third edition of The Essential Garden Design Workbook is fully updated with new colour photograph and illustrations. It features new informaion on designing with computer-aided design (CAD), details on sustainability ad biodiversity, and important advice on working with contractors. It features all new garden plans and growing information for the top 50 plants no designer should be without.

In The Cabaret of Plants, Mabey explores the plant species which have challenged our imaginations, awoken our wonder, and upturned our ideas about history, science, beauty and belief. Picked from every walk of life, they encompass crops, weeds, medicines, religious gathering-places and a water lily named after a queen. Beginning with pagan cults and creation myths, the cultural significance of plants has burst upwards, sprouting into forms as diverse as the panacea (the cure-all plant ginseng, a single root of which can cost up to $10,000), Newton's apple, the African 'vegetable elephant' or boabab - and the mystical, night-flowering Amazonian cactus, the moonflower. Ranging widely across science, art and cultural history, poetry and personal experience, Mabey puts plants centre stage, and reveals a true botanical cabaret, a world of tricksters, shape-shifters and inspired problem-solvers, as well as an enthralled audience of romantics, eccentric amateur scientists and transgressive artists. The Cabaret of Plants celebrates the idea that plants are not simply 'the furniture of the planet', but vital, inventive, individual beings worthy of respect - and that to understand this may be the best way of preserving life together on Earth.

Statues, fountains, sundials, and obelisks--don't most of us want to live with beauty in a garden? Garden ornaments can breathe life into a garden, no matter its size. When art is placed in a garden, we are invited to explore and enjoy the experience. Abstract silhouettes, playful images, and forms in perfect balance bring discoveries with each new view. This new book presents nearly 500 color photographs of over 350 garden ornaments: animals, maidens, children, miniature trains, urns, gates, pavilions, topiary, birdhouses, and many more. Experience an insider's tour of garden ornaments and learn from five notable artists as they describe their philosophies of art. Elizabeth Schumacher suggests how to select the perfect garden ornament and Hugh Collins, Jr. describes the magical journey you embark upon in integrating garden ornament, within your landscape. You may find a favorite garden ornament here, or find the inspiration to create a setting and display your own collection.