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Author’s Foreword

The moment you take people out into the garden, they immediately become more relaxed and expansive. Their smiles get bigger, they talk more loudly, their hand movements are broader, and they generally stride around looking happier. Whoever said that the great outdoors is our natural habitat certainly knew what they were talking about. Gardens are uniquely wonderful.

What could be better after a hot, sticky day at work, or a long drive home, than to relax in the garden? Gardens are all things to all people – a place for reading, a place for growing tasty vegetables, a place for playing out private fantasies such as building a log cabin, digging holes, building ponds or breeding chickens, a place for whatever takes your fancy. Patios, ponds, sheds, chalets, barbecues, vegetable plots and lawns … there are so many exciting options.

Your garden might not be much bigger than a small room, but this does not mean that you cannot turn it into the best room in the house – a room with a ceiling that stretches right up to the sky. This book will gently guide you through all the stages, from planning and making drawings through to selecting tools, digging, building walls, planting, stocking and much more besides. No more dreaming … now is the time for turning fantasies into realities.

Measurements

Both metric and imperial measurements are given in this book – for example, 1.8 m (6 ft).

SEASONS

Because of global and even regional variations in climate and temperatures, throughout this book planting advice is given in terms of the four main seasons, with each subdivided into ‘early’, ‘mid-’ and ‘late’ – for example, early spring, mid-spring and late spring. These 12 divisions of the year can be applied to the approximate calendar months in your local area, if you find this helps.

About the Authors

Alan and Gill Bridgewater have gained an international reputation as producers of highly successful gardening and DIY books on a range of subjects, including garden design, ponds and patios, stone and brickwork, decks and decking, and household woodworking. They have also contributed to several international magazines. They live in Rye, East Sussex.