BOOK REVIEWS

Projects for Small
Gardens

Richard Bird & George Carter
Distributed by Reed
$NZ54.95

IN a small garden everything counts - from colourful pots to an elegant herb-lined brick pathway. With 56 simple step-by-step projects, this new book contains a wealth of stylish garden ideas to enhance small spaces.

George Carter and Richard Bird have created projects that cover all aspects of the garden, from bright containers to make and decorate, to structures made from brick, stone, wood and metal. The emphasis throughout is on making the most of your garden - however small - by matching innovative planting schemes with interesting garden features.

My favourite projects include this delightful primula theatre (right). Primula theatres are a peculiarly English tradition, but it's a wonderful way to display any collection of special plants in a way that not only shows them off, but also could disguise an ugly garage wall or boundary fence.

Each project is featured on fold-out pages, with detailed, easy-to-follow instructions. Even the complicated woodwork involved in some of the designs is made achievable thanks to clear illustrations.

I found the chapter on edible projects a welcome surprise - it's an area not often seen in ornamental gardening books. And who would have thought of growing cherry tomatoes in hanging baskets with purple petunias to show off the red fruits? There's also a plan for an edible border, with a colourful mix of daylilies, carrots, mint, borage, thyme, tomatoes, peas, bronze lettuces and violas.

There's also a range of planting ideas that suit larger gardens as well as small spaces. Learn how to create a scented knot garden or a herb-lined path, raised brick beds or a stunning cascading water feature.

Weekend Gardener, Issue 98, May 9-22, 2002, Page 28

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