The Less Is More Garden: Big Ideas for Designing Your Small Yard

Garden designer Morrison (Garden Up! Smart Vertical Gardening for Small and Large Spaces) explains that the wonder of the small garden arises from its high degree of outdoor pleasure combined with the benefits of intimacy, manageability, and individuality. Her illuminating new book shows garden lovers the way to achieve the full measure of this effect. The key, she writes, is in incorporating the elements of proportion, circulation (movability throughout the garden), and comfort. She highlights the strategic use of hardscapes, fountains, well-placed trees, and flowering shrubs and perennials, all with an eye toward the angle of the sun and the best way to protect each plant from the elements. She even includes advice on plants that are especially good for pets and garden designs that benefit (and protect) curious children. The inviting use of more than 260 color photographs, in conjunction with planting charts and sample illustrations, creates an inspiring vision for even the most humble gardener who hopes to create a version of sustainable paradise. (Jan.)