The Authentic Garden

Five Principles For Cultivating A Sense Of Place.

By Claire E. Sawyers. While most garden designs have been copied from other countries over the years people are now finding they want their own garden style and sense of space to enjoy. Claire shows us how to do this with five simple principles: 1.capture the sense of place: discover and preserve what is special about your site, 2.derive beauty from function, make gardens and man-made landscapes practical, 3.use humble or indigenous materials, gardens should give us a sense of comfort, 4.marry the inside to the outside blur the lines between the built and the natural, and 5.involve the visitor in the garden both mentally and physically. With beautiful photos, and local materials, plants, history, places and people, this becomes a guide for creating a garden that both looks and feels right.