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What Makes a Garden

A considered approach to garden design
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( 18 ratings, 4 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
What Makes a Garden by Jinny Blom is a thoughtful exploration of garden design, building on her previous work, The Thoughtful Gardener. The book presents a multi-disciplinary approach that combines architecture, conservation, art, and a holistic perspective. It considers a garden as an alchemical blend of living and inanimate elements, aimed at pleasing all five senses, while acknowledging the impacts of time and culture. Rather than offering strict rules, Blom invites readers to reflect on the unique needs of place, culture, and client to create a garden that transcends a natural landscape. Filled with warmth and expertise, it is both practical and artistic.
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Format: Hardback
$8500
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book will appeal broadly to garden lovers who seek inspiration beyond conventional designs, including thoughtful gardeners, nature enthusiasts, and anyone interested in the intersections of art, culture, and garden craft.

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A follow up to the hugely successful The Thoughtful Gardener (2017), What Makes a Garden is the second book by Jinny Blom, one of the worlds leading garden designers.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

A follow-up to the hugely successful The Thoughtful Gardener (2017), this is the second book by Jinny Blom, one of the world's leading garden designers.

What Makes a Garden builds upon the work of The Thoughtful Gardener, offering a broader perspective on how Jinny Blom conceives garden design. The book particularly emphasises her multi-disciplinary approach, which integrates architecture, conservation, and art, all underpinned by a strong holistic thread.

This fascinating and insightful book explores how a garden should engage all five senses; how it is an alchemical blend of the inanimate and the living; and how it must account for the effects of time and cultural influences. It is not intended as a book of rules, but rather a guide on thinking about garden design in a way that responds to the specifics of place, culture, and client needs.

Drawing on her work and experience over the last 20 years, the book delves into what people want and need from a garden, and what distinguishes it from a natural landscape. Reflecting Jinny's highly individual approach to garden design, this book brims with warmth and character alongside her expert knowledge.

With broad appeal, this beautiful book will captivate the widest audience of garden lovers: thoughtful yet practical and informative, it marries artistry with functionality.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The English Garden calls it "one of the year’s most engrossing, thought-provoking books." Olivia Laing describes it as "a wunderkammer of a book" rich with ideas grounded in experience. Susan Bewley praises the photography and states it offers a unique philosophical art experience for gardeners and nature lovers alike. Washington Gardener commends its inclusivity of disciplines and fascinating facts, highlighting Blom's invitation to expand our definition of what a garden can be.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780711282957

Publisher: Quarto Publishing PLC

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 19 October 2023

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Frances Lincoln

Illustration: colour photos

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 235.0mm

Height: 280.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 256

About the Author

Jinny Blom is a leading garden designer who began her London based landscape design practice in 2000. Jinny works on a wide range of projects and has designed hundreds of gardens all over the world. Her innovative and uniquely thoughtful work has been much lauded and featured in the press internationally.

She has designed four award-winning gardens for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and was awarded the coveted gold medal in 2007; along with silver-gilts in 2002 (for her Healing Garden developed in collaboration with The Prince of Wales); in 2006 (for Laurent-Perrier); and in 2013 (for her creation commissioned by Prince Harrys charity, Sentebale). The great-granddaughter of an Impressionist painter, Jinny had a Liberal Arts education in the UK. She trained and practised as a transpersonal psychologist and psychotherapist, working for many years in mental health. In 1996 she chose to devote herself to her lifelong interest in natural landscapes and gardens. She has been a columnist for The Times, contributed regularly to radio and television worldwide, and in 2002 won BBC Radio Broadcaster of the Year for her Radio 4 Womans Hour features. Jinny has been nominated Woman of the Year an unprecedented three times - in 2002, 2007 and 2013 - for her services to society including her role as Artist in Residence at Chelsea Westminster Hospital.

Also by Jinny Blom

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  • The Thoughtful Gardener
    In The Thoughtful Gardener, Jinny Blom shares her insight into the creative process she has developed while designing more than 250 gardens around the world. Jinny believes that garden design should lead from a house and its context. For her, design is more a matter of intelligence and appropriateness than imposing a particular style. As such, Jinny's approach, which she...
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