RHS How to Create your Garden: Ideas and Advice for Transforming your Outdoor Space : Frost, Adam By UNKNOWN
Really enjoy dipping in and out of this book. It is so simple but gives good ideas on planning with suggestions on scheme, i e a dry garden. I really like the hard landscaping section. It makes it seem possible for anyone with some DIY skills. I think it has appeal to people wanting to achieve simple one off tasks and to those wanting to re design a full garden. RHS How to Create your Garden: Ideas and Advice for Transforming your Outdoor Space : Frost, Adam Very disappointed. I had hoped for something inspirational and with much emphasis on planting. Instead, it’s like a diy manual for gardens, for example, several pages on how to concrete in fence posts, not what I wanted. Far too few planting ideas. There are thousands of you tube videos to tell me how to lay concrete. The ‘Transforming your outdoor space’ in the title is very misleading. It’s basically a book about hard landscaping with a few planting suggestions almost as an afterthought. RHS How to Create your Garden: Ideas and Advice for Transforming your Outdoor Space : Frost, Adam Great book from one of the best in the business. If you like Adam Frost on Gardeners World then you will love this book.I love how there are sections within sections. So the overarching themes of designing, building and then enjoying your garden can be read as one book, or you can dip in and out when you need a bit of advice from a true pro.So I am looking to lay a good base of hardcore and pebbles for an area of 18 raised beds soon. The section which covers what tools you need, preparing the site, and creating a good base (for paths) will be really useful.It has everything from what plants to use, to tree planting, to a monthmonth guide.Finally some superb illustrations and photographs.Just love it! RHS How to Create your Garden: Ideas and Advice for Transforming your Outdoor Space : Frost, Adam If ever a publication needs the ‘LOOK INSIDE’ facility, for me, this is it and, at the time of writing, I hope it comes along in the future. Until then, apologies for the lengthy writing!On the first flick through, my initial impression was that this book is aimed at fairly serious garden designer level.However, on closer inspection, there is a fair amount of straightforward advice & guidance to encourage the lay man, depending on experience & budget, with each design section benefitting from a useful ‘ASK ADAM’ close, each of which includes a 'QUICK FIX' & 'KEY KNOWLEDGE' facts that also make interesting reading.Colourfully illustrated throughout, the publication also benefits from clearly laid out, numbered, stepstep instructions, where relevant, e.g. 'BUILD A WATER FEATURE', on pages 194/195.Technically, if you throw enough money at it, you could create practically anything, but a significant level of skill is required along with specialist tools, to accomplish some of the projects, and IMO, some professional help might also be a wise investment.ooOoo~ RHS/DK~ HOW TO CREATE YOUR GARDEN: IDEAS AND ADVICE FOR TRANSFORMING YOUR OUTDOOR SPACE~ ADAM FROSTooOooWell designed for quick access to a point of interest, the chunky hardback measures around 23.75 cm x 19.75 cm x 2.75 cm and opens to 256 matte finish pages, split over 3 main chapters as shown in the 'CONTENTS' (1st image below refers), then into various sub sections, namely:(1) DESIGN:~ UNDERSTAND YOUR SPACE:IntroductionGet to know your spaceMap out your spaceGet to know your soilAssess your garden’s climateThink about your settingASK ADAM~ DESIGN FOR PEOPLE:IntroductionWho is your garden for?What is your garden for?How much time to do have?ASK ADAM~ FIND YOUR STYLE:IntroductionChoosing your materialsTerracesDesigning terracesPaths and walkwaysDesigning paths and walkwaysSteps and level changesBoundariesFurnitureWater featuresLightingFeaturesStructuresBuild a moodboardASK ADAM~ CHOOSE YOUR PLANTS:IntroductionFinding your planting styleThink in layersUpper and lower canopy of treesMid layer shrubsPerennialsBulbsClimbers and wall shrubsAnnuals, biennials and short lived plantsHedgesA mixed borderA shady borderA hot, dry borderA damp borderReview you planting wish listASK ADAM~ BRING IT ALL TOGETHERIntroductionStep 1: Start the processStep 2: Explore optionsStep 3: Find the right balanceStep 4: Add some detailStep 5: Finalise your planStep 6: Build your layersStep 7: Plot your plantsASK ADAMooOoo(2) BUILD:~ BUILD YOUR GARDENIntroduction Basic tools for hard landscaping Preparing the site Creating a good base Lay a gravel path Lay slab paving Lay brick paving Build a low brick wall Build steps Concreting posts Erect fencing Build a plant support with rope swags Build a raised bed Build a water feature~ PLANT YOUR GARDENIntroductionBasic tools for soft landscapingPreparing the ground for grassLay turfPlant trees and shrubsPlant perennialsPlant bulbsooOoo(3) ENJOYThis section is simply an introduction ahead of a double page spread dedicated to each month of the year, with things to do.A section entitled ‘USEFUL INFORMATION’, starts on page 240:~ MEASURING YOUR SITE~ CALCULATING QUANTITIES~ GLOSSARY~ BASIC BUILDING MATERIALSThe book winds up with a 3 page alphabetical INDEX, with italicised page numbers denoting illustrations, just ahead of the page of ACKNOWLEDGMENTS & a page ABOUT THE AUTHOR.[30 images attached ©ADAM FROST & DK/2019](17/03/19) RHS How to Create your Garden: Ideas and Advice for Transforming your Outdoor Space : Frost, Adam Gosh this reminds me so much of the lovely Geoff Hamilton who I loved to watch. His gardeners world programmes were not only great because he’d talk about plants, but he made things too which I attempted (as a young women then) with great eagernessThis bookAdam however is even betterAnd as a now 50+ lady I’m sure to find something to attempt to do.I’ve also brought this book for my daughter who is sure to learn the passion for gardening with the attention to detail with book has to offer. RHS How to Create your Garden: Ideas and Advice for Transforming your Outdoor Space : Frost, Adam
Creating a garden doesn't need to be complicated. This is the promise from Adam Frost, BBC Gardeners' World presenter and winner of multiple Chelsea Flower Show gold medals.Regardless of your experience or budget, with Adam's help and know how you can design your dream garden, whether it's a small urban garden, a classic cottage garden, a suburban front garden, a low maintenance space or a city roof terrace. His practical, no nonsense approach strips away complex garden design concepts and focuses on your needs and preferred garden style to help you plan and build a garden that works for you.Starting right at the beginning, Adam takes you stepstep through the whole process, inspiring you with simple garden design ideas to tackle a full garden makeover or a simple revamp of just one part of your garden, perhaps a tired herbaceous border, the patio, or a water feature.Learn how to design a garden that reflects your practical needs, lifestyle, budget, personality, soil, and climate.Build it yourself following the clear, uncomplicated stepstep instructions that show you everything from laying turf to terraces, planting trees or building a raised bed or water feature. Enjoy it monthmonth with his simple checklist of what to do when to keep your garden in shape.RHS How to Create your Garden is about designing an outside space that is real, achievable, and right for you. RHS How to Create your Garden: Ideas and Advice for Transforming your Outdoor Space : Frost, Adam