Customer Reviews

Small Spaces, Beautiful Gardens

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I found this book to be especially helpful in visualizing small gardens. I wish that he had included some of the plant names used and sample gardening diagrams, but overall it's a great book for ideas.

The simplicity with which Keith Davitt has been able to convey complicated design concepts is extraordinary. He has combined this with exquisite illustrations and "before and after" photography. This book will inspire you with the confidence to transform even the most mundane of spaces into a visual and livable joy. It's also a must on our coffee table!

The ideal book for someone who is facing a vacant lot or garden wasteland and is interested in tapping the talent, inspiration and guidance of a gifted garden designer. Kevin Davitt takes the reader through a great number of his real life garden designs, challenging us to listen to the hidden "genius" in your prospective site. Eloquent and thoughtful, his writing is clear and encouraging, helping us to discover and visualize the sanctuary our garden space can become. Filled with beautiful photographs and drawings and side bars highlighting the key ideas in each project, we are gently introduced to the authors philosophy of space and nature. The author shares his years of experience and design wisdom so you can create a space that enhances your home and recharges and inspires your relationship to mother nature. A joy to read, makes you want to get outside and start building. Focuses on small urban and suburban garden designs, but ideas can apply to all garden design processes.

Keith Davitt has a wonderful vision of how dramatic a small space can be. The book is laid out beautifully. I loved the "before" pictures, his design drawings, and the terrific photos of the finished space. He truly knows how to create beautiful, lush, inviting gardens. I found this book to be absolutely delightful and incredibly informative.

This is THE book for the seemingly hopeless garden. Davitt repeatedly changes a small space into a grand escape. He also has lovely solutions for the light deprived space. I especially enjoyed the before and after photos.

I've had the pleasure of seeing first-hand some of Mr Davitt's Garden/Landscapes, and they were memorable experiences. I've never seen gardens so beautiful. Unlike stuffy and rigid gardens, which are so common, his actually seem to improve upon nature by expressing the best of natural harmony. So when I saw his book (Small Spaces Beautiful Gardens), without a second thought, I picked up a copy for myself. Wow! His book is so insightful. Simply put, He succeeds in conveying his understanding of technique and vision, honestly and simply.
I wish more Landscape/Garden designers, whether Professional or beginners, would take Mr. Davitt's genius to heart. I think then we would have a quantum-leap in the industry.

From our insider-business perspective, we see a sheer parade of talent and ingenuity here...chapter after chapter and garden after garden. Mr. Davitt's garden "makeovers" are, in a word, spectacular. We were completely immersed in both the reader-friendly and vivid descriptions/depictions of the 'before' and 'after' garden metamorphases. Lush and detailed photos evidence the author's unique, versative and professional craftmanship. The photos, in combination with the expressively rich text, had us wishing we were there! (From NH to Brooklyn, NY, in some cases!) Whodunnit? Mr. Keith Davitt, apparently a "garden-artist" whose book is a treat for the senses. At last, a truly practical--and beautiful--"how-to," in which both everyday and professional gardeners will delight.

This book is ideal for city dwellers or anyone limited to a small outdoor space. It instructs, in a clear and easy-to-follow manner, how to design a unique a garden. There are many beautiful illistrations to choose from and the transformations will inspire you!

Mr. Davitt's design work in this book presents aesthetic principles that one can apply to other spaces, even large ones. From his intelligent assessment of the initial site to the lush photos of the completed work (plus all the steps in between), I learned so much from each project. Add to this that he is an exceptional writer: sensuous and intriguing (like his gardens), yet clear and and graphic.

Having just moved last fall into a city apartment with a small, ugly backyard, I was at a loss as to how to transform this unpleasant outdoor space into a beautiful and liveable garden/patio. Keith Davitt's book arrived in the nick of time. Not only does it provide the inspiration that such transformations CAN take place, it contains extremely helpful drawings, photos and design tips to support even the most novice gardener/designer (e.g., me). With its balanced combination of design concepts and practical how-to advice, this book is indeed a treasure for any would-be urban gardener.