English Cottage Gardening: For American Gardeners, Revised Edition

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Summary: comment from one of the featured gardens owner
Review: I am Martin Furniss of Cobblers Garden in England, one of the featured gardens in this beautiful and knowledgeable book. It is delightfully illustrated by the skillful photography of the author, and I enjoyed seeing my garden, and others that I know, brought to life by the photography. Many people have visited my garden as a result of reading this book. Other tour operators groups would recieve a great welcome and knowledgable lecture.

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Summary: English Cottage Gardening: For American Gardeners
Review: I ordered this book because Tasha Tudor wrote the foreword, and her garden was featured. Ms. Tudor has long been one of my favorite artists and I've enjoyed collecting her books and books written about her. But what a special treat, not only was I able to get a glimpse into her gardens but that of a multitude of other wonderful cottage gardens that inspired and challenged.
The photography is extraordinary, truly capturing possibilities for anyone wishing to achieve a comfortable, serene and beautiful garden in their own home setting. The advice of gardeners who truly love their gardens has been more helpful than many of the so call "Expert" knowledge in similar readings. Margaret Hensel brings alive each and every flower and hardscape. I've read and reread this remarkable book many, many times and it is a constant source of information of cottage horticulture.

Rating:
Summary: English Cottage Gardening: For American Gardeners
Review: I ordered this book because Tasha Tudor wrote the foreword, and her garden was featured. Ms. Tudor has long been one of my favorite artists and I've enjoyed collecting her books and books written about her. But what a special treat, not only was I able to get a glimpse into her gardens but that of a multitude of other wonderful cottage gardens that inspired and challenged.
The photography is extraordinary, truly capturing possibilities for anyone wishing to achieve a comfortable, serene and beautiful garden in their own home setting. The advice of gardeners who truly love their gardens has been more helpful than many of the so call "Expert" knowledge in similar readings. Margaret Hensel brings alive each and every flower and hardscape. I've read and reread this remarkable book many, many times and it is a constant source of information of cottage horticulture.

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Summary: Review of English Cottage Gardening
Review: In this practical guide, Hensel maintains an uncomplicated approach to the planning and planting of cottage-style gardens which are all now the rage. A number of exemplary but highly personal English and American gardens are documented in attractive color photographs by the author. Commonly used plants are introduced along with unique possibilities for their combinations and placement in garden designs. Budget considerations highlight inexpensive perennial choices, while interviewed gardeners share unusual cost-cutting methods. Hensel's lovely presentation and no-nonsense advice should prove helpful to anyone undertaking the creation of a cottage garden.

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Summary: How my book came about and what it is about.
Review: One of the questions I am most frequently asked when I lecture or give garden workshops is, "How did you happen to write a book on cottage gardening?" To answer that question I relate the story from the first few pages of "English Cottage Gardening for American June morning, on the way to photograph the Gardens at Sissinghusrt Castle, I happened to drive through the small village of Benover, in Kent.

On the lefthand side of the road I spotted the most wonderful thatched cottage with hollyhocks and cascades of red and yellow roses surrounding the windows and the wild, picturesque tangle of old-fashioned perennials either side of the path leading to the front door.

I stopped the car and asked the white-haired man trimming roses for permission to take some photographs. He cheerfully gave his consent. I then spent the rest of the afternoon walking up and down the path taking photographs and studying the selection and placement of flowers, and-to my surprise- identifying a good many that were hardy from USDA Zone 4 to Zones 8 and 9.

Later that afternoon, the couple who owned the cottage invited me to tea. Seated beneath an old apple tree, they talked about their garden. Each plant had a story. Some were gifts from friends and neighbors, others had been purchased at tiny roadside stands, or grown from seed. Over the years, the couple had tried many different plants, some successes, others utter failures. But it was apparent that every experience had become a part of the richness of their life together."

That evening I thought about that cottage garden and compared it in my heart and mind to the large, famous gardens that I had been photographing. Here, I thought was something charming and accessible and wonderfully welcoming; a garden style that could easily be translated into the small gardens and front yeards of urban and suburban America.

During the next eight years, for part of each year I travelled throughout England visiting and photographing hundreds of cottage gardens and talking with the gardeners who created them. During that time I discovered each cottage garden was as unique as the gardener who created it. Some were delightful fantasies with whimsical topiary, others offered beautiful yet practical solutions to common design problems.

But as different as they were, these gardens had certain things in common. A cottage garden,I discovered, is intimate and welcoming and helps create an intimate link between the house and its surroundings. A cottage garden is informal and full of flowers, with plants spilling over walks, arbors and each other.

I saw many of the same plants used again and again. But each cottage gardener used them in his or her own way. One gardener might use catmint ( Nepeta) beneath roses as a groundcover, while another gardener used catmint as an edging for a perennial border. As a result, certain key perennials run like a theme throughout my book.

Many of these key cottage plants are also featured in the Cultural Chart at the end of the book. Compiled with the help of Gary Koller of the Arnold Arboretum, the chart features over 70 perennials and includes information on cultural requirements, design uses and plants for dry conditions.

Throughout my book I also explore the stylistic elements that characterize a cottage garden and how to create the look and feel of a cottage garden.

I am really excited about the latest edition of my book. I hope readers, from beginning gardeners to professional designers, will enjoy using the new index and the updated source material in the 4th edition of "English Cottage Gardening for American GArdeners."

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Summary: Never Have a Drab Garden Again
Review: There is a wild and romantic image associated with cottage gardens and this book gives us page after page of incredible photos that inspire us to create one of these intimate spaces of our very own. Opening photos of Tasha Tudor's Vermont garden draw us into the continuous flow of picturesque gardens that range from photos of simple doorway gardens to massive perennial borders.

Credit is given to the architectural elements in the garden such as an ornate gate or a brightly painted arbor. These aspects are important in establishing the depth of the garden and are often overlooked. Straight lines and hard surfaces help to add dimension to overflowing and seemingly out of control plants.
There are lots of examples of this throughout the book and they are defined not only by the gorgeous photos but by Ms. Hensel's thorough treatment.

Of course, the plants are the main focus and there are plenty shown and discussed. Roses take a whole chapter and, it is not by chance, that many of the plants are herbs. These have always been the carefree backbone of most cottage gardens. The emphasis, though, is not on becoming an expert with plants, but rather to start with a single idea and a few cherished plants and let the garden begin.

Margaret Hensel set out to create an interesting little book with photos of picturesque thatched cottages and became intoxicated with the gardens she found. The beauty she discovered as she explored country lanes and city streets led to the creation of this extraordinary book that showers us with the loving creations of many gardeners, both amateur and professional.

Rating:
Summary: It's a favorite.
Review: This book was constantly in my possession during the winter before I created my first cottage garden. It is filled with helpful material, plant lists and horticultural notes, and seems to be as useful to the beginner as to the professional. She showcases ten different gardens, and gives some history on how and why they came to be. The beautiful photographs alone caught my attention for a long time. The only disappointment to me was that eight out of the ten gardens were English; I was hoping to see more American gardens. However, one of the featured American gardens is Tasha Tudor's garden (my absolute favorite), definitely worth drooling over. I think one of the nicest aspects of this book is that it removes the intimidation factor and proves you can have a fabulous garden without all the planning and precision of many gardens.. Definitely a must for cottage garden enthusiasts!

Rating:
Summary: Best Reference I have found on creating a cottage garden...
Review: This book was constantly in my possession during the winter before I created my first cottage garden. It is filled with helpful material, plant lists and horticultural notes, and seems to be as useful to the beginner as to the professional. She showcases ten different gardens, and gives some history on how and why they came to be. The beautiful photographs alone caught my attention for a long time. The only disappointment to me was that eight out of the ten gardens were English; I was hoping to see more American gardens. However, one of the featured American gardens is Tasha Tudor's garden (my absolute favorite), definitely worth drooling over. I think one of the nicest aspects of this book is that it removes the intimidation factor and proves you can have a fabulous garden without all the planning and precision of many gardens.. Definitely a must for cottage garden enthusiasts!

Rating:
Summary: It's a favorite.
Review: This is one of my very favorite garden books. Pictures are beautiful, and the book is informative...giving plant names and even showing layout drawings of how the plants were placed. The gardens were not designed by professionals but were created thru trial and error, the way most people do their own. Shows how pretty a garden can be without perfection. Even shows many tiny doorway gardens that should not be intimidating for busy American gardeners. I would highly recommend this book.