Naturalistic Gardening: Reflecting the Planting Patterns of Nature

The subtitle "Reflecting the Planting Patterns of Nature" clearly expresses the focus of this book, as do the first words of the Introduction "Natural gardening is not natural".The writer, who has earned the American Horticulture Society Writing Award, has authored numerous gardening books and her approach is comfortably informal. She is knowledgeable about the topic, expanding the idea of using native plants and placing them where nature would have them to include the relationships between plant communities and inter-layering canopy trees, shrubs, perennials and ground covers. Each of these may be native or non-native but they echo natural plant patterns of the area and accentuate the features of each plant and its place.After reading the book I felt I had begun to understand that the look of a natural garden is uncluttered, well proportioned and, large or small, makes a statement about both the gardener and the place.Based in the Pacific Northwest the writer uses gardens of Washington State, Oregon and British Columbia to illustrate her theme. The many color photographs of Allan Mandell beautifully illustrate the text. (Wonder of wonders these days when many book illustrations are pretty, but quite meaningless on the page.)This is one of the most practical and yet most lyrical books I have encountered on the topic of natural gardening. It's an art that is not nearly as simple as it appears to be. The writer shows that it can be done with flair and style, even in a small garden and on a limited budget.

Ann Lovejoy has found a wonderful balance between native environments and a sensual and delicate intervention by the gardener.

Naturalistic Gardening, by Ann Lovejoy, is an excellent book, especially for anyone with woodlands on their property. But the book is useful too for those who just want to fashion gardens that retain that wild feel, that natural look. The photographs from Allan Mandell are exceptional and capture well the spirit of this fine book. For those gardeners who have never read any of the many gardening books by Ann Lovejoy, this will be a treat. Ms. Lovejoy writes in a way that is always clear and easily understandable, and her writing has a voice that is fun, energetic, full of life. All of the books by Ms. Lovejoy are quite good, as is Naturalistic Gardening. No mention is made of my own specialty, allergy-free gardening, and some of that component would be welcome here, but still, this is a book to provoke some real thinking--a book to inspire different, less rigid, less formal gardening. I enjoyed it very much.

Ann Lovejoy is inspiring and fun to read. This book seeks to help the gardener embrace her natural surroundings in creating a garden that mimics natural forms and "layers". Ms. Lovejoy shares insightful design information in a flowing and exuberant style of writing that sparks the imagination. I have so many great ideas for my wooded yard garnered from this book. Where I would have cut down trees, I clearly see gloriously shaded possibilities. And Mr. Mandell's photographs are so beautiful. You will love this book.