BOOK REVIEWS

Small Patios
Simple Projects, Contemporary Designs

Hazel White
Photography by Saxon Holt
Chronicle Books, distributed by SPG
$NZ59.95

JUST because you have a small garden, doesn't mean you can't cram it full of fun features, from intriguing plant combinations to secluded spots to relax and arty flourishes that add personality.

Courtyards and patios are a way of life for many New Zealand gardeners and although Small Patios is written from an American perspective, the concepts covered apply the world over. Hazel White has set out to provide practical, step-by-step instructions for outdoor dining areas, sitting areas, entrance patios and horticultural hideaways.

Each project is discussed in depth, with lists of tools and 'ingredients' - plants, furniture and paving materials, for example. The emphasis is firmly on how to do it yourself, with tips on improving drainage, laying paths and tiles for a professional result.

It's rare to find such a level of detail in a garden design book - usually they are all pretty pictures and no information. Which is not to say that the photos come second in Small Patios. They are fabulous!

One of my favourite projects was the grass wave (right) patio. What an eye-catching idea this is to soften the often rigid line between the lawn and an outdoor dining area. I'm sure it is a real talking point for its owners.

Small Patios is well worth having because it recognises that imagination is the only real boundary in a small garden - so go to it and make the most of your space, even if it is limited.

Weekend Gardener, Issue 88, December 13-27, 2001, Page 30

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