Garden Mania
Garden Mania is seemingly a book of indulgence, published for pure pleasure showing man’s desire (and struggle) to tame nature. However, this collection of illustrations can be used in a variety of ways as Garden Mania is more than just a feast for the eyes. It is a comprehensive compendium of garden design and ornament, which can be used for inspiration in the designing of your own garden or as an historical reference, tracing the development of the garden.
Its co-authors, Philip de Bay and James Bolton, have put together a bounty of rich illustrations. Compare patterns for parterres, gates and fences. Find your dream folly in Temples of Delight and like Horace Walpole’s remark about the Mausoleum at Castle Howard, you might even be tempted to be buried alive.
Not only will you be rewarded by the illustrations but the introductions to each chapter are highly informative. On the subject of balustrades, Sir William Chambers wrote in 1759 ‘Such as are intended for use … must always be nearly of the same height, never exceeding three feet and a half, nor ever being less than three.’ His good advice stands true today while he also realised that the ‘spaces between balusters were important in relating the enclosed space to openness beyond.’
Pergolas were up until the end of the Nineteenth Century used expressly for the training of grape vines. It was at this time that their use as a decorative feature was fully exploited and nowadays, they are a standard feature in our gardens.
We share the same criticism of this book that we found in Food Mania. If only it had been a hardback as a book such as this, which contains such a wealth of information, will be turned to frequently. It begs the question; will the spine stand up to it? But its price makes it keenly accessible to everyone and for that we must be grateful.
The last paragraph of the book on vegetable gardening ends with the sentence. ‘Twenty-first Century gardening embraces Sixteenth Century methods’, which brings us neatly back to the beginning.
Publication details:
400pp. £16.95
ISBN 0500282536. Published by Thames & Hudson.
2000
Order directly from
Its co-authors, Philip de Bay and James Bolton, have put together a bounty of rich illustrations. Compare patterns for parterres, gates and fences. Find your dream folly in Temples of Delight and like Horace Walpole’s remark about the Mausoleum at Castle Howard, you might even be tempted to be buried alive.
Not only will you be rewarded by the illustrations but the introductions to each chapter are highly informative. On the subject of balustrades, Sir William Chambers wrote in 1759 ‘Such as are intended for use … must always be nearly of the same height, never exceeding three feet and a half, nor ever being less than three.’ His good advice stands true today while he also realised that the ‘spaces between balusters were important in relating the enclosed space to openness beyond.’
Pergolas were up until the end of the Nineteenth Century used expressly for the training of grape vines. It was at this time that their use as a decorative feature was fully exploited and nowadays, they are a standard feature in our gardens.
We share the same criticism of this book that we found in Food Mania. If only it had been a hardback as a book such as this, which contains such a wealth of information, will be turned to frequently. It begs the question; will the spine stand up to it? But its price makes it keenly accessible to everyone and for that we must be grateful.
The last paragraph of the book on vegetable gardening ends with the sentence. ‘Twenty-first Century gardening embraces Sixteenth Century methods’, which brings us neatly back to the beginning.
Publication details:
400pp. £16.95
ISBN 0500282536. Published by Thames & Hudson.
2000
Order directly from
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