A New Naturalism - revised copy Feb 2008

by Catherine Heatherington and Juliet Sargeant

Synopsis:
This book is part of a projected sub-series on planting design within the overall series called Workshops on Garden Design. The target readership is novice and professional garden and landscape designers.

Naturalistic planting styles have become very popular in recent years. Ecological issues and a desire to `get closer to nature' have led many people to explore a new way of planting and maintaining gardens. Such plantings can be strikingly beautiful, evoking all that is most attractive in the natural landscape. Most successful gardens, too, are underpinned by good spatial design and a thorough knowledge of planting combinations, qualities which still apply to the wilder garden.

The authors describe the history of the naturalistic genre, and review the various ways in which designers are applying naturalism today. They analyse plantings both in nature and in a selection of gardens, in order to describe how the natural effects can be achieved.

Profiles of some prominent designers working in the field (Noel Kingsbury, Nigel Dunnett, Dan Pearson, Brita von Schoenaich and Tim Rees, Keith Wiley) are included, where hints, suggestions and words of encouragement for those embarking on new naturalistic plantings are offered.

Experimentation and innovation are hallmarks of an exciting new field. This book, therefore, will be an invaluable tool for anyone hoping to develop their own naturalistic design philosophy and planting style.

Contents: Introduction – What is Naturalism?; Recent Developments in Naturalistic Planting; Natural Design Techniques; Naturalistic Matrices; Naturalistic Groupings; Practical Issues – Implementation and Maintenance; The Design Perspective; Bibliography and Further Reading; Appendix – Summary of Practical Points; Glossary; Naturalistic Gardens to Visit; Plant List and Index.

The Authors:
Catherine Heatherington MA MSGD practises garden design while based in London. She is also involved in a long-term project in the Hebrides that embodies the principles described in this book. One of her garden designs can be seen at the RHS Garden, Wisley (sited in Witan Street). Following a first degree in mathematics, she studied garden design at Middlesex University and Capel Manor, and later gained an MA in Visual Culture also at Middlesex. She is a Registered Member and till recently has been on the Council of the Society of Garden Designers.

Juliet Sargeant has a design practice based on the coast of East Sussex and specializes in naturalistic designs. She also lectures at garden design colleges in London and elsewhere. She too was selected to design a model garden at Wisley (also sited in Witan Street). Juliet originally trained to be a doctor and worked in hospitals in the specialties of medicine and neurology. She retrained to become a garden designer at Middlesex University and Capel Manor, and is also a Registered Member of the Society of Garden Designers and currently a vice-chairman of the Society.

Date of publication: 29/05/2005.
ISBN: 978 185341 133 5 (paperback only).
Pages: 54; dimensions: 189 x 246 mm (landscape format); weight: 225 g.
Illustrations: 52 colour and black & white photos; 11 line drawings and planting plans.
Price: £17.99.

Members of the UK Society of Garden Designers (SGD), the Garden & Landscape Designers Association of Ireland (GLDA) and bona fide students at design colleges, may buy the book at the discounted price of £15.00 direct from the publisher. Postage and packing is charged. The special price is not available from booksellers, who will apply their own selling prices.

Distribution: Because of its format, this book is not widely stocked in the British Isles. It is available, however, at the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) bookshop at Wisley, Surrey (also mail-order) or from Mike Park Books of Sutton, Surrey. Other bookshops, including Amazon, will only special-order it through wholesalers, which can lead to several weeks’ delay in supply. It may be simpler to order from the publisher – see the Activities; How to Order page on this website. The publisher regularly displays and sells the book at garden design (not general gardening) conferences and exhibitions.