BOOK REVIEWS

Dream Gardens
Find and Create Your Perfect Outdoor Space

Edited by Makkie Mulder
Conran Octopus, Reed Books
$NZ74.95

THIS gorgeously dreamy English style bible is about as far from a practical gardening manual as you can get. The pictures are almost all in soft focus, creating a lovely (if not overly useful) impression of gardening as something that definitely doesn't require dirty fingernails!

Covering four key styles: minimalist, cottage, classic and bohemian, Dream Gardens aims to inspire by encouraging garden owners to use their imaginations. But it's not all style over substance: at the back there's an extensive portfolio of garden plants and features to suit each design theme. Tools and propagation are also covered.

Aimed more at beginners than experienced gardeners, Dream Gardens might make an excellent housewarming present for a new garden owner. It will certainly add class to their coffee table.

Weekend Gardener, Issue 86, November 15-28, 2001, Page 31

Reproduced with permission from the former Weekend Gardener magazine. The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the RNZIH