Rose Cottage Ltd

I know one or two people who spend time each Spring just staring at their own backyard. They ponder doing this and that, but nothing ever seems to change. Are they lazy? No. Lacking creativity? Not really. It’s just that it is hard to see something over and over and then try to see it as anything else.

I take full advantage of design ideas online and in any book I can reasonably get my hands on. I can look at a $25,000 professionally-designed outdoor space and maybe pull 2 or 3 components of that design that make sense for my yard. Why reinvent the wheel? Here are a few outdoor design books to get you thinking.

Landscaping for Privacy brims with creative ideas for minimizing or even eliminating the nuisances that intrude on your personal outdoor space. Scores of real-world examples show you how to keep the outside world at bay by strategically placing buffers (such as berms or groups of small trees), barriers (such as fences), and screens (arbors or hedges, for example) around your property. And the helpful plant lists tell you precisely which varieties to choose in order to enhance your sense of seclusion.

If you’ve ever felt frustrated by the lack of privacy whenever you step outside your home, this inspiring book will steer you toward an achievable solution.

Outdoor rooms are an attractive option for gaining a little extra living space and providing a useful multi-purpose area for family fun, friendly get-togethers, and playtime. With Outdoor Spaces, Country Living shows how to design the right open-air rooms for your needs, with page after page of ideas for setting up a relaxing haven, an upbeat entertaining spot, or even a romantic retreat.

From quick and easy fix-ups—such as placing a chair and table in a shady corner—to elaborate layouts involving furniture, plants, and lighting, there’s something here for every size backyard and budget. Smart tips offer ways to cut down on maintenance, choose a garden style that enhances the house, establish focal points, handle awkwardly shaped yards, add walkways and arbors, and select eye-catching plants.

In more than 250 stunning photographs of forty homes, Perfect Porches illustrates how varied these iconic American spaces can be. A wealth of structural appointments are presented, such as the extended eaves of a rain porch along the Gulf Coast, the shimmering copper flooring of a converted Amish cattle barn in Bluegrass country, and Outback-inspired painted thresholds in California’s wine region. Unexpected ornaments, including Moroccan pendant lamps, a vintage watering can collection, or a majolica menagerie can transform even the most modest porch into an oasis. This book also reveals a host of practical ways to bring privacy to urban porches, chic accents to old-fashioned verandas, and coziness to modern environments.

In French Country Living, Caroline Clifton-Mogg celebrates the distinctive decorative style inspired over centuries by the French countryside, and shows how to translate its elements into your home, whether rustic or urban. • More than 30,000 copies sold in hardcover. • Beautiful photography by Christopher Drake.

And one of my personal favorites…

Another always-popular volume in Sunset’s line of outdoor building books, Landscaping with Stone is a fundamental resource for realizing the potential of virtually any garden. That’s because stone is resilient, organic, and colorful—its versatility is legendary. This essential book helps gardeners make the most of stone, with design ideas and step-by-step how-to instructions for everything from paths to walls to waterfalls.

Features:

* Photo galleries feature updated approaches to enhance gardens with stone, from traditional to contemporary

* Detailed step-by-step instructions for projects including paths, walls, and water features

* Helpful lists identify appropriate plants for specific situations, such as when creating gravel or stepping-stone paths

* “Trade Secrets” and “Design Tips” give professional hints on using stones most effectively to enhance your garden