The Gardens of Arne Maynard

This is the first book on the work of one of today’s most celebrated and sought-after garden designers. Arne Maynard is known for his award-winning gardens at the Royal Horticultural Society’s Chelsea Flower Show (2000, 2012) and for his beautiful and sympathetic gardens for private houses across the world. Central to his work as a designer is his ability to identify and draw out the essence of a place, something that gives his gardens a particular quality of harmony and belonging.

Maynard is also a passionate gardener himself, and is in the process of transforming the garden around his house in Monmouthshire, Wales. This garden is one of those featured in the book, offering unique insights into the work in progress and his design methods. Also featured is Maynard’s very first garden of his own, at Guanock House in Norfolk, where over ten years he created a formal layout – including a kitchen garden, herbaceous borders and a knot garden – from a field.

Each of the twelve gardens is specially photographed and is described through the seasons in personal text by Maynard himself, including details of the brief and plant selection. The book also includes fully illustrated features on various topics close to Maynard’s heart, such as growing and using roses, planting borders, creating productive kitchen gardens, incorporating sculpture in the garden, and training trees and shrubs.

This beautiful book will appeal to garden lovers everywhere, whether armchair gardeners keen to explore the beautiful designs, or hands-on gardeners seeking inspiration and ideas for their own plots. It will also appeal to garden designers and horticultural students.

Rosie Atkins: Rosie Atkins is the founder and former editor of Gardens Illustrated magazine and was subsequently curator of the Chelsea Physic Garden in London.