In a time of climate change and mass extinction, how we garden matters more than ever: “An outstanding and deeply passionate book.” —Marc Bekoff, author of The Emotional Lives of Animals Plenty of books tell home gardeners and professional landscape designers how to garden sustainably, what plants to use, and what resources to explore. Yet few examine why our urban wildlife gardens matter so much—not just for ourselves, but for the larger human and animal communities. Our landscapes push aside wildlife and in turn diminish our genetically programmed love for wildness. How can we get ourselves back into balance through gardens, to speak life's language and learn from other species? Benjamin Vogt addresses why we need a new garden ethic, and why we urgently need wildness in our daily lives—lives sequestered in buildings surrounded by monocultures of lawn and concrete that significantly harm our physical and mental health. He examines the psychological issues around climate change and mass extinction as a way to understand how we are short-circuiting our response to global crises, especially by not growing native plants in our gardens. Simply put, environmentalism is not political; it's social justice for all species marginalized today and for those facing extinction tomorrow. By thinking deeply and honestly about our built landscapes, we can create a compassionate activism that connects us more profoundly to nature and to one another.

Design ideas; creative garden plans; cold-climate solutions.

Step-by-step guide to creating garden designs that includes instructions for blueprints, using patterns, and measuring.

Lifelong landscape design means thinking about more than your garden. It involves encouraging your community to be a well-rooted environment consisting of friends who share home-grown produce, walk in the neighborhood, recycle, water harvest, compost and are watchful of each other’s well-being. Lifelong landscape designs create environments that connect with nature, encompass a home, and promote healthy living by providing mobility, social interaction, and places to sustain the body and soul. Learn easy steps to design your own lifelong landscape through more than 200 landscape patterns and activities that illustrate components of healthy living. Enhance the quality of your life at any stage with practical advice from this inspirational landscape architect with more than 30 years experience.

Garden designers face some daunting questions: How do I begin the creative process? Where can I find design inspiration? How will I know if my design is successful? If you approach these questions like an artist, with an artist’s tools and ways of looking at the world, you will be able to design gardens that combine the unique character of a place with your innermost creative spirit. You’ll make inspiring gardens that have real meaning, for yourself as well as others. In this luminous volume, landscape architect and artist W. Gary Smith explores the various means that artists use—including drawing, painting, sculpture, meditation, poetry, and dance—to create personal connections with the landscape that enrich and inform garden design. Part 1 focuses on simple techniques that anyone can use to nurture creativity, unleash the imagination, and get ideas down on paper. Part 2 shows how these techniques have shaped actual design projects—with spectacular results. Throughout, the author’s friendly and encouraging voice removes the shroud of mystery surrounding the creative process and shows how even the least artistically inclined can tap into inner resources they never knew they had. Smith’s own exuberant sketches and bold paintings illuminate the path from art to landscape. Infectiously engaging and unfailingly inspiring, this eye-opening book deserves to be read and reread by anyone who aspires to master the rich and demanding art of garden design.

“Rich with photographs and descriptions of how landscape design has shaped and reflected culture over time.” —The American Gardener The History of Landscape Design in 100 Gardens explores the defining moments in garden design. Through profiles of 100 of the most influential gardens, Linda Chisholm explores how social, political, and economic influences shaped garden design principles. The book is organized chronologically and by theme, starting with the medieval garden Alhambra and ending with the modern naturalism of the Lurie Garden. Sumptuously illustrated, The History of Landscape Design in 100 Gardens is a comprehensive resource for garden designers and landscape architects, design students, and garden history enthusiasts.

Be inspired to imagine the garden of your dreams with this guide that will help you plan, build, and plant your perfect outdoor space. Whether you're aiming for a total redesign or targeting a specific area, Encyclopedia of Landscape Design offers fresh and achievable ideas for every gardener: grasp the fundamentals of landscape and garden design, find a style that's right for you, and create the structures and planting plans to bring your ideas to life. Produced by a team of award-winning horticultural experts, Encyclopedia of Landscape Design offers extensive design inspiration backed up with solid practical content, including step-by-step landscape structures and planting techniques.