Taking inspiration from art, sculpture, Chicago prairies and folk architecture, Pearson lays out his design philosophy and working process, giving readers direct insight into his collaborative approach of working with nature, instead of imposing preconceptions upon it.

“Delve into this beautiful book. You’ll come away sharing his passion for the beauty that gardens bring into our lives.” —Sigourney Weaver, environmentalist, actor, trustee of New York Botanical Garden How does an individual garden relate to the larger landscape? How does it connect to the natural and cultural environment? Does it evoke a sense of place? In Spirit of Place, Bill Noble—a lifelong gardener, and the former director of preservation for the Garden Conservancy—helps gardeners answer these questions by sharing how they influenced the creation of his garden in Vermont. Throughout, Noble reveals that a garden is never created in a vacuum but is rather the outcome of an individual’s personal vision combined with historical and cultural forces. Sumptuously illustrated, this thoughtful look at the process of garden-making shares insights gleaned over a long career that will inspire you to create a garden rich in context, personal vision, and spirit.

Gardens can be formal or wild, serene or ostentatious, native or exotic, colourful or monochrome --according to Trisha Dixon, if we like a person, we will probably like their garden In a series of written reflections, interwoven with her evocative, painterly photographs, Trisha explores the relationship that exists between ourselves, our gardens and the natural landscape. Beyond the design and the plants, there is the feel of the garden, which captures the heart from the moment you enter a landscape and stays with you long after you have left. In a chapter on Gardens of the Mind, Trisha explores how artists, thinkers and writers have acknowledged and found value in the spirit of gardens and landscapes. Socrates found truth and beauty beyond Athens' city walls in a sacred grove. Closer to home, Jorn Utzon, designer of Sydney's Opera House sought inspiration and solace in a sandstone beach cave and Arthur Boyd experienced the Shoalhaven as a Wagnerian opera or a Mozart symphony. In Our Ancient Land, Trisha writes about landscapes full of stories, songlines and tracks. She welcomes the shift away from an Anglocentric approach to landscape design to one that shows an intimate engagement with the spirit of place, an acknowledgement of the Aboriginal history and mythology embedded in the land. This is not just to be found in the ancient heart of the country. In Melbourne's Royal Park, for example, bounded by noisy traffic and high-rise buildings, landscape designer Gordon Ford has created a bush pool that you'd feel fortunate to find in the interior of the Kimberley. Her message is the need to understand and respect the environment in our garden making. By approaching nature with humility, rather than a desire to control it, we can make our gardens places of beauty and peace, which nurture body and soul. She explains different approaches to garden design, exploring the teachings of landscape architects and designers of renown. And she frames this in the context of a harsh and changing climate that we need to embrace. Full-colour photographs show the golden glow of seed heads, a Eucalypt reflected in a still pool, magnificent angophoras and mossy outcrops in an escarpment garden on Sydney's Northern Beaches. Here is Annie Snodgrass' Jilba garden in Young, bursting with a Mediterranean palette of greens, purples and white. Here is Philip Cox's South Coast retreat, showing a total harmony of landscape and understated, rustic architecture.

Described as the "eighth wonder of the world" and a "magnificent floral jewel," and visited by millions of people, the award-winning terraced gardens of the Bahá'i' Faith in Haifa, Israel, and the gardens north of Haifa at Bahji Akka, have a unique history spanning more than one hundred fifty years. Beyond the gardens, obvious beauty and serenity lies a compelling story of love, selfless devotion, patience, fortitude, and extreme sacrifice. "Gardens of the Spirit" captures that history for the first time in one volume using stunning photographs and archival images and drawing upon details from published histories, biographies, and memoirs, in addition to documents and official communications from the Bahá'i World Centre. -- From publisher's description.

A mystical and spiritual portrait of African American folk gardens in the South

In a time of climate change and mass extinction, how we garden matters more than ever: “An outstanding and deeply passionate book.” —Marc Bekoff, author of The Emotional Lives of Animals Plenty of books tell home gardeners and professional landscape designers how to garden sustainably, what plants to use, and what resources to explore. Yet few examine why our urban wildlife gardens matter so much—not just for ourselves, but for the larger human and animal communities. Our landscapes push aside wildlife and in turn diminish our genetically programmed love for wildness. How can we get ourselves back into balance through gardens, to speak life's language and learn from other species? Benjamin Vogt addresses why we need a new garden ethic, and why we urgently need wildness in our daily lives—lives sequestered in buildings surrounded by monocultures of lawn and concrete that significantly harm our physical and mental health. He examines the psychological issues around climate change and mass extinction as a way to understand how we are short-circuiting our response to global crises, especially by not growing native plants in our gardens. Simply put, environmentalism is not political; it's social justice for all species marginalized today and for those facing extinction tomorrow. By thinking deeply and honestly about our built landscapes, we can create a compassionate activism that connects us more profoundly to nature and to one another.