Real Gardening
Real Gardening is written for the enthusiastic gardener keen to master the art of planting. A companionable voice, with one clear line of thought, taste and judgement, Stephen Lacey talks us through, with logical progression, the whole process of transforming a plot into a series of stunning seasonal pictures. Exciting new approaches to planting have sprung up in recent years. Instead of formal, high maintenance borders, interest has shifted towards simpler plants and looser, more naturalistic ways of growing them. Stephen Lacey shows how to tap into this style and combine it with a strong design and theatrical flourishes to create a garden that is beautiful, action-packed, manageable and contemporary.
“The Art of Planting chapter: I like it a lot…..thoughts tumble out in a great cataract….I am amazed at the breadth of the outlook….Beth Chatto, who has been here, also had a good look at the book and thought highly of it.” Christopher Lloyd, pers. comm.
“Fascinating examples of good practice…the book’s overriding effect is of useful information effortlessly offered.” Stephen Anderton, Country Life.
Gardens in the National Trust
Commissioned by the National Trust, this bestselling book is the principal guide to the National Trust's gardens. It paints a comprehensive historical and horticultural picture of over 150 of Britain's most important and influential gardens, from Hidcote and Sissinghurst to Stowe and Stourhead.
All the major periods are represented, from Renaissance pleasure grounds, Elizabethan courts and grand 17th century formality to flowing landscape parks, swashbuckling Victorian bedding schemes and the 20th century's rich legacy of exotic woodlands and plant-packed borders. Taken together, the Trust's gardens contain the world's most important collections of cultivated plants.
"One of our best known columnists and broadcasters on gardens, Lacey's great (and surprisingly rare) skill is his ability to walk us around a garden so that we see it through his words.how it relates to the wider landscape... the history we need to acquire." Times Literary Supplement.
The Startling Jungle
A perfect bedside read, this fresh and enthusiastic approach to romantic gardening was Stephen Lacey's first book. Whether your garden is large or small, you have the opportunity to create your own world of changing images and moods, with powerful appeal to the senses. This book is packed with creative and practical advice, especially on the subject of colour and the selection and grouping of plants for seasonal effect.
“A jam-packed book on colour and informal planting which ought to be read,”Robin Lane Fox, Financial Times.
“A new and gifted young garden author……… a book to which I will return whenever I need inspiration for planting,” Sir Roy Strong,
The Times.
“One of the brightest and most widely read garden writers on the English scene. His book, ‘The Startling Jungle’ is considered a classic”,
‘International Who’s Who of Gardening’, Vancouver Sun, Canada.
Scent in your garden.
Scent, thoughtfully handled, can turn a good-looking garden into an unforgettable one. In this authoritative reference book, Stephen Lacey explores the nature of scent, its sources in flowers and leaves, and its imaginative use in the garden.
Almost 1,000 trees, shrubs, climbers, perennials, herbs, alpines, aquatics, roses and conservatory plants are profiled, including practical information and many planting ideas for fragrant features to ensure a succession of scents through the seasons. Andrew Lawson's evocative photographs capture the beauty of scented plants.
“Newly minted knowledge and spiritual refreshment,”
Homes & Gardens.
“A rich cornucopia of scents with which to swoon through the garden,” The Independent.