On 24/08/2013 08:16, Derek wrote:
After many years with a small garden I now have a very large blank
canvas to keep me occupied. At the moment, its featureless. Can anyone
suggest a good book on Garden Design.

Why do you need /any/ book on garden design? As you have had a garden
for years, even though it's small you must know at least the basics for
growing plants - soil type, location, direction, shading, etc. Unless
you are going to have hardly any plants and rely on "hard" features,
then that's all that really matters (and then I would argue that you
don't have a garden at all, just a courtyard with some plants).

I am fortunate enough to be completely uninterested in garden design, or
as I prefer to call it, "what other people think a garden should look
like". If you want to paint your fences orange with purple polka dots
because you like them that way, just go ahead and do it. If you want
gnomes, put them in.

Finally, just be aware that "a triumph of design over function" is all
too common these days in so many areas; garden design is just one of
them. Just consider what you want your garden for, and then you can
"design" it so that it remains functional, too.

--

Jeff