It's an excellent book for those of us who need a helping hand to plan our cottage gardens. Here, complete with beautiful illustrations, is the answer. Kathleen brown guides us bit by bit around the garden, encouraging us to deal with one small area at a time rather than expecting us to be able to do everything at once.

There are ideas on what to plant in front of a small wall, or round the door, or to cover a bare wall, etc etc.

A wonderful book.


Best Gardening Book   May 19, 2005
I was shocked to find this here, unreviewed and without even an illustration of the cover. I must have 30+ gardening books on my shelves, but it's this one that I have returned to over and over again, in the ten years that I have owned it. The 50 recipies for different parts of the cottage garden, are really easy to follow and adapt, and come with full aftercare advice; but better still are the gorgeous watercolour illustrations. These 50 designs are followed by several container plan descriptions, which are photgraphed - it's a shame that they're not illustrated in the same way as the garden section plans, but the main section of the book deserves the 5 stars all on its own. An excellent, beautiful, gem of a book.


FANTASTIC BOOK!   April 27, 2005
I bought this book about 10 years ago when I had my first house, and it helped me transform a wilderness into a much admired cottage garden. I'm now using the book again for my second house as the results first time round were so good. The plans are easy to follow, and the advice on aftercare particularly good. A must have book for anyone who loves cottage garden plants.


A beautiful book, cottage gardens made easy   January 11, 2001
 16 out of 16 found this review helpful

Kathy Brown's unique style and presentation comes through once again. Once described as the Delia Smith of gardening , her approach of individual recipes for each scheme is very effective indeed. She lists the "ingredients" needed at the beginning of each scheme with required spacing, height and spread as well as when each plant will look its best. This equips the reader with a shopping list for the plants needed as well as providing a planting guide and overall picture all in one.Brilliant! The schemes are divided into plans for shade and sun as well as others like a scheme for an orchard, a pond and a wildflower meadow. There are designs for climbers and fruiting hedges as well as a vegetable patch and soft fruit area. Her choice of plants is always really good.They are usually interesting with a long period of interest and most important of all, easy to obtain. The illustrations are lovely and mellow, reflecting the charm of the good life. The last few pages are divided into headings for various groups of plants used in the book with further information on care and cultivation which is very helpful indeed. A must have book for all gardeners.