RHS Encyclopedia of Garden Design: Planning, Building and Planting Your Perfect Outdoor Space

Loaded with great ideas, and plenty of suggestions to help me imagine my garden layouts. A comprehensive section on building garden additions, from paths to pergolas, and many fine photos of garden designs ranging from formal to cottage and to very contemporary. The only reason I do not give it 5 stars is that too often plants are referred to be a common name, which is so variable from place to place that I sometimes have to go to external sources to determine exactly what plant they are talking about. I also lacks solutions to problems peculiar to my land, but I did not expect all the answers in this book ... that would take a few volumes, sadly enough. Overall, a great buy, with inspiring pictures and good details on how to achieve the effects featured.

The book wasn’t packaged well so all the corner have been crunched / marred. Otherwise the book is a great reference. Very well written and enjoyable to look at with pictures and easy to follow descriptions.

Excellent book, very comprehensive with lovely photos. Describes different types of gardens with examples of plans for each. Sections on plants, boundaries, hard materials, how to build structures. There are examples of different size plants and and shrubs, climbers etc Would definitely recommend.

Some good advice but the book's reliance on images that look as if they were taken at an RHS show rather than a real garden lends the projects an air of unreality. More 'coffee table' book than the in-depth work I would have expected from the RHS.

Amazing book. Having known nothing about garden design, and having been quoted 1600£ for a design, plus £300 pet sq metres for my small garden in South East London I thought stuff that, buy a book and learn some principles. Excellent info on types of garden, styles, materials and how-to do things, like lay a path or make a pond. Ok, it will not be winning Chelsea, but it has given me some confidence to tackle the job myself, with a landscaper to do the heavy lifting. Basically it's saved me £20k, so thumbs up five stars.

I love the book ........but I need to report that it was abominably packed, in a box that was too big with hardly any packaging. The carton had partially disintegrated so it had been re-sealed by the post office. The book was also slightly bent and the top and bottom of the spice was crunched.

The ultimate garden design book with so many different design ideas based on garden size, location and soil type. Well written with excellent visuals and easy to follow copy. Suitable for both beginners and mature garden enthusiasts.