Book Review: The Garden

At its core The Garden: Elements and Styles by Toby Musgrave (published by Phaidon Press, 2020) is an inspirational, gorgeously illustrated glossary. The English author is a garden designer, consultant, photographer, and lecturer. He earned a Ph.D. in garden history and has written several books and numerous articles.

The book examines 209 concepts that focus on historical international design styles and their many components. The concepts are presented alphabetically with cross-references to related concepts. Some are fairly obscure. The concept Chinoiserie is cross-referenced with Bridge, Chinese Garden, English Landscape Garden, Informal, and Pavilion. Rock Garden is cross-referenced with Alpine Garden, Chinese Garden, Gnome, Grotto, Japanese Garden, Pulhamite, and Quarry Garden. Texture is cross-referenced with Colour, Exotic Planting, Succulent Planting, and Xeriscape Garden. Wildlife Garden is cross-referenced with Bog Garden, Ecological Garden, Wild Garden, and Zeitgeist. There is one concept per page. Some concepts cover two pages, never more.

The history and historical context are often explained, and each educational narrative is accompanied and illustrated through one or a few beautiful photographs. More than 500 color images of more than 400 public and private gardens by countless photographers are included. The photos are from 32 countries on all continents except Antarctica. I believe that each image is a work of art in itself.

The physical book is large at 11 by 13 by 1.25 inches and weighs 5 pounds. It is a coffee table book.

While you will find Potager, Kitchen Garden, Espalier, and Pollarding and Pleaching, you won't find anything on compost, pollinators, fruits, vegetables, pests, or diseases. There are other research-based sources to turn to for your gardening questions. I always start at One Search: Hundreds of Cooperative Extension Sites.

Though it is definitely not a book of gardening how-to's, there is still educational value for the novice gardener, the experienced gardener, the traveling gardener, as well as the armchair gardener. There is plenty to learn about different types of gardens. One can imagine how to incorporate one or more of these concepts into their own garden through using the greatest flattery of all - imitation. Sometimes just a photo can lead to choosing a new plant or color combination or the using a distinct focal point. I have personally added many new destinations to my list of must-see American and European gardens.

As each lovely photograph demonstrates, the garden can absolutely be art. An artistic garden is so difficult to achieve because a garden is alive. Like other "living" art works, a garden changes daily, weekly, seasonally, yearly, and through the decades. As I also tell people, a garden is a process, not a product. I am often too busy with the tasks of creating and maintaining my own home garden – this "process" of gardening – that the joy of the garden escapes me (I am sure that I am not alone). This book reminds me of the importance of slowing down and savoring the beauty and joy in the garden, of being inspired once again by the art of the garden.