Urban Sanctuaries: Creating Peaceful Havens for the City Gardener Book

Whether you have little more than a glorified big-city fire escape or a small-town backyard, British garden writer Stephen Anderton claims you can create a peaceful oasis in a hectic environment. The emphasis in Urban Sanctuaries is on the traditional backyard, but Anderton's key concepts will apply to smaller areas as well. The scale of the plantings must be kept in mind. If the area is to be a garden, water and soil supplies must be considered carefully. The pace of movement through the area should be slowed to make it seem larger. And the haven must have a place to sit, which seems obvious, but actual leisure time is often overlooked in the design stage. Copiously illustrated with colour photographs of scores of small gardens and outdoor seating are as, the book features gardens of every persuasion, from spare minimalist retreats to veritable urban jungles. Unfortunately, few of the gardens are identified by geographic location, though many of them look decidedly rural. Eight gardens are displayed in double-page spreads with original plans and initial design considerations are detailed. Anderton also provides a practical listing of 72 plants suitable for small gardens--tough varieties with long growing seasons. --Liana FredleyRead More