Garden Heaven (National Trust)

by Vanessa Berridge

[annieb123]

Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

Garden Heaven is a beautifully illustrated and inspirational gardening reference by Vanessa Berridge under the auspices of the National Trust. Released 9th May 2024 in the UK, and due out elsewhere the 10th Sept 2024 by HarperCollins on their Collins Reference imprint, it's 192 pages and is available in hardcover format. 

This is a well illustrated guide full of color photography and clear recommendations about species and varieties for specific purposes in the garden design. The book has an attractive and logical layout with easy to understand and accessible language. Plants are referred to throughout with both common names and binomial (Latin) names. The index is cross referenced, so plants are easy to locate in the text, and Latin binomials are italicized.

The introduction includes some of the author's aesthetic in grouping the featured gardens and methodology in selection. The following chapters showcase a number of gorgeous (and famous) gardens in various areas of the UK. 

This is an inspiring and educational book, full of ideas for garden lovers no matter what the scale of their own green spaces. Very few gardeners will have the space to recreate the famous gardens pictured, however, there are so many good takeaways which can be adapted to readers' own gardens. Since the book is absolutely full of color photographs and the text is relatively small and densely packed, the hardcover format is a must. 

The gardens represent a wide array of design and execution. The expected stately home gardens are represented chiefly, of course, with long alleys of topiary boxwood and formal layouts. What was equally welcome and more unexpected however, were the working farms, more informal gardens, cottage gardens, historical landmarks, and a surprising amount of unexpected juxtaposition inviting a close look. The author has also included some of the ways these gardens have reacted to and compensated to some degree for global warming trends and water/resource conservation, and rewilding areas for biodiversity.

Five stars. It would be an excellent choice for public library acquisition, home reference, or allotment/community garden reference shelf. Lots of inspiration contained here. 

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes