The year's ten best garden books

A new crop of gardening guides combines beauty and usefullness

"It's often discouraging to see photographs of gorgeous gardens in books and magazines and not receive any information on how they got that way (and how you can create something similar). In Water Features for Small Gardens: From Concept to Construction (Timber Press, 174 pp., $29.95), Keith Davitt perfectly balances the art of designing a water garden with the practical aspects of how to achieve what he has shown is possible. Davitt introduces us to all kinds of water features - waterfalls, natural pools, formal pools, tub gardens, fountains, streams, wall fountains, and bogs among them. Once we've fallen under the spell of the beautiful photographs, then he explains (and, when necessary, shows in a diagram) how to build them in your yard."

By Judy Lowe, Christian Science Monitor, December 03, 2003 edition

"Keith Davitt takes water features to the next (natural) level with careful scrutiny of stone shapes, colors, sizes, placement. With the same attention to detail, he has an uncanny feel for scale (how large to make the feature given the amount of space there is to work with). I really like the photos that demonstrate his points. The ponds and growth really look like they belong there. Great work!!"

By M. Bannish, "Free Spirit" (Pittsfield, MA)

"This is a gorgeous book! The pictures (by the author) are luscious, the gardens are inspiring: it does the heart good just to look at them, even if you haven't got a garden, or have one but can't afford to remake it. He doesn't just rate his own gardens, he also commends other well-made water gardens, so the scope is wider than might be expected. The writing is clear, friendly, and concise. Even the book design is inviting and elegant. Very highly recommended for gardeners of all skill levels--and wistful nongardeners, too. I loved it!"

By Deborah Miller (New York, NY USA)

"Excellent book! I found a ton of great ideas to use on my new property. Well worth the price."

By A. Manocchia (New Rochelle, NY)

"As with most books published by Timber Press the overall content and layout are above average. I like the way photos are in sync with the text, and the reader carried through the design process in an economical discussion of salient points."

Jim Davis

"Small gardens are challenging to design: one flaw can ruin the entire plan. Keith Davitt shows how to overcome that challenge when adding a water feature to a small garden."

Water Gardening Magazine, Nov/Dec 2003 issue

Once again let me compliment you on the beauty of your designs.  I am a self-taught person in my areas of interest and enjoy books that are clear in delivering the information I am presently seeking; your book meets this need wonderfully and is a visual delight as well.

S. Salewski 

Click the below images to read more reviews

"This is a great book for the gardener with little space. All of the gardens featured are pretty small by suburban standards. But none the less, the gardens and designs Keith Davitt covers are spectacular. You will discover how to get rid of that same old boring lawn that everyone else has on the block. Davitt takes you through creating your very own unique garden with stone, brick, gravel, water and lots more. He covers why it works for the owner and the space given. It gives valuable insights for the gardener planning a new space."

Greg Speichert (Cedar Lake, IN USA)

"Written by gardening expert Keith Davitt (winner of the Herald Award for Excellence in Garden Communication), Beyond The Lawn: Unique Outdoor Spaces For Modern Living is a simply beautiful and exceptionally "user friendly" sourcebook of ideas for creating harmony with stone, brick gravel, rock, water, herbs, conifers, planted pots, native and wild plants. Lavishly illustrated with full-color photography, Beyond The Lawn is a treat to page through and recommended for gardeners everywhere looking to add a bit of originality to the grounds outside their home. Offering a vast panoply of materials for crafting a unique, personal, and relaxing atmosphere, Beyond The Lawn is a welcome and enthusiastically recommended addition to professional and personal gardening reference collections."Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA)

"Keith Davitt's Small Spaces, Beautiful Gardens celebrates the possibilities for awkward, undersized garden parcels, demonstrating convincingly that no space is too small to make a big impact. Lacking dimensionality, most small gardens can be taken in visually with one glance. Davitt offers solutions for creating a sense of spaciousness and surprise, even in the most cramped, unlikely location.

A landscape designer, builder, photographer, and writer, Davitt draws on 16 projects from his own portfolio. "Before" and "after" photographs help illustrate both the process and principles of reconfiguring an outdoor space. Who could imagine, for example, that as ugly a duckling as a narrow, shaft-like urban lot surrounded on three sides by cinderblocks, painted brick, and metal piping could be transformed into an enchanting series of multi-leveled wood decks, enlivened with container plantings?

Davitt’s ideas are all the more convincing because he has photographed the gardens between peak bloom periods. Although spaces are lush with plant life, the book's emphasis is more on design than plant selection. Offering neither budget remedies nor step-by-step technical advice, Small Spaces, Beautiful Gardens is, itself, a beautiful book to pore over for inspiration."

Jennifer Wyatt, Amazon.com

"A near-architectural design strategy is king in this heartening guide for owners of small plots of land. Mosaic brickwork, a few well-placed tiles, terraces, stone walls, benches tucked into corners and flora, flora, flora. Landscape designer and author Davitt recommends, among other ideas, curves "to elicit a sense of organic motion," texture for added dimension, mixed and matched leaves for lushness, and dividing the garden up to make it seem "larger than the sum of its areas." By designing their own ponds, walkways, arbors, "rooms" and patios, urban and suburban residents can achieve a harmonious privacy in spaces that seem to offer little."

Publishers Weekly, 2001

"Small Spaces Beautiful Gardens is a must read for anyone planning a garden. Davitt's well illustrated book shows how creativity can transform non-descript urban backyards into spectacular enjoyable spaces. Using an ample series of photographs and sketches, the author depicts the entire process, from design theme through decorative detail and planting materials. Whether your notion calls for pre-dinner cocktails or solitary serenity, you'll find plenty of ideas in this splendid garden guide. This book deserves its five star rating."

John R. Cashin (Saratoga Springs, NY)
From Notion to Reality, February 18, 2002

"Dear Mr. Davitt, I simply had to write to you and let you know how utterly wonderful your book "Small Spaces Beautiful Gardens" is. I only recently chanced upon your book at the local library, as I was in the process of looking for some other books on landscape design. However, as I thumbed through the pages of your book, I realized that I had most certainly found what I had been searching for."

Phyllis Domena, Illinois

"A Gem! 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."

Linda Deiro, July 29, 2002

"A truly unique Garden/Landscape Book! I've had the pleasure of seing first-hand some of Mr. Davitt's Garden/Landscapes and they were indeed memorable experiences as they were truely works of art. I've never seen garden's so beautiful. Unlike the stuffy and rigid gardens we are all so used to seeing, his actually seem to improve upon nature by expressing the best of Nature's harmony. So when I saw his book (Small Spaces Beautiful Gardens), without a second thought I picked up a copy for myself. Wow! What an experience! His book is so insightful. Simply put, He succeeds admirably 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.

David Harper, July 29, 2002

"With space at such a premium, this book shows you how to make the most of what you have. We loved the book so much we hired the writer to design and build our garden. This book is a must if you want to add value to your property and beauty to your life.

Bret Coladner, (Brooklyn, NY), July 22, 2002