Product Description

Illustrations galore, plans, plants, and expert advice for creating dream gardens.

There’s no garden more evocative than a cottage garden, and no experts more knowledgeable about how to devise the perfect design than leading horticulture authority Toby Musgrave and the editors at Country Living. Musgrave reveals, with the help of outstanding images by award-winning photographer Jerry Harpur, that cottage gardening actually encompasses a wide range of approaches. Almost any gardener will find the answer to his or her dreams, whether it’s a sweetly scented romantic garden, complete with a gentle fountain and secluded bower, or one that’s formal with tightly clipped yews and precise plantings. Eight designs focus on particular themes and climates, and all include a detailed plan and plant list, making it easy to re-create or adapt Toby Musgrave’s beautiful arrangements.
A Main Selection of the Homestyle Book Club.

• Advertising in Country Living magazine

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1236274 in Books
• Published on: 2004-03-28
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 160 pages

Customer Reviews

Cottage Gardens Review
When Country Living puts its name on a book, it is usually chock full of pretty pictures. The new book Cottage Gardens by Toby Musgrave is no exception. Anyone who isn't sure exactly what they want in a garden, but leans toward an informal style, will enjoy flipping through the book for ideas. Also, the garden plans are nicely done. The book is well written, but it is hard to write yet another book on cottage style gardens and come up with much new and exciting information.

One of the things I liked most about Cottage Gardens is the way it is laid out. The first section discusses "designing by theme." It goes into a bit of history for each type of garden and talks about how to achieve each look. In this section, you will find traditional, tapestry, potager, romantic, rural, formal, painterly and modern garden pictures and plans. The "designing by use" section covers aromatic, wildlife, herbal, harvest, cut flower, all year round, easy care, and dry gardens. Again, there are many photos and there is a design for each type of garden. Finally, there is a "plants for cottage gardens" section. Frankly, I was not impressed with this section, as it is quite small and has few photos.

If you are a new gardener who enjoys the cottage garden style, the book is definitely worth a look, but advanced gardeners will probably be a bit disappointed.