Intimate Garden, The: Spaces That Surround And Nourish

Intimate Garden small piece of ground, a group of well-chosen containers, hanging baskets or window boxes-any of these can be worked into lush planted areas. The Intimate Garden has tips on thinking outside the flowerpot to coordinate a garden retreat that is just right for you. Brian Coleman reveals beautiful gardens around the country in a variety of styles. Formal boxwood-lined parterres, painterly planted-out beds in high Victorian splendor, and foliage-walled patio rooms are just some of the personal gardens featured here. After all, gardens are intimate spaces, reflections of their owners' taste as well as their topography and locale. Each garden is described in detail to provide both inspiration and practical advice for all levels of home gardeners. Included is such varied information as planting a window box and how to care for a large cactus. Detailed drawings of each garden's layout accompany the text to help the reader in plant placement and identification. Whether you are contemplating a Japanese tea garden and lagoon or a vividly colored sidewalk display, The Intimate Garden should provide a wealth of ideas. Lushly illustrated with more than 175 photographs.
Brian Coleman, M.D., has been writing on gardens and design for more than a decade. A practicing psychiatrist, he has made a second career from his interest in the decorative arts. He is the editor-at-large for Old House Interiors and contributes to other magazines, including Horticulture and Period Living in the UK, and is the author of nine books on the decorative arts. He credits his own Victorian garden as the impetus for his literary career and still continues to enjoy his admittedly high-maintenance Seattlegarden.
William Wright, a commercial photographer since 1984, specializes in architectural assignments. Born and raised on Long Island in New York, he moved to Seattle in 1987, where he now lives with his wife, Pauline. Along with projects commissioned by architects and interior designers, his photography has been featured in numerous publications, including Sunset, Old House Interiors, Romantic Homes, Victorian Homes, and Seattle Homes and Lifestyles. His work can be viewed at ww.williamwrightphoto.com.


Visit ten spectacular examples of economically sized gardens in the U.S. and England that shows how any homeowner can create an oasis amidst the rush and tumble of a busy life. Brian Coleman shares inspiring examples of a wide variety of small gardens, and reveals just how relaxing a small retreat can be. Get tips on how to coordinate your garden with your home's style, and plan for foliage and plants that take advantage of each season's changing colors and landscape. Make living a bit more peaceful with this idea-filled guide to creating your own oetite oasis.