2019 was a year of ‘firsts’ for Kate. Climbing a decidedly large mountain for charity, building her first Main Avenue show garden at Chelsea and definitely not least of all, publishing her very first book on garden design. Over a period of 12 months Kate worked alongside Kyle Books and photographer Helen Fickling to create the final edit of Urban Garden Design.
Kate knew from the get-go that she didn’t just want to create a beautiful book with inspirational images, it had to be balanced out with equal proportions of practical design advice, advice that could be applied to any garden, not just an urban outdoor space. Pulling all of the elements together was an enormous task – it began with Kate putting all of her thoughts down on paper (no small feat) and after much shuffling, toing and froing, editing and reshuffling, ‘Urban Garden Design’ was finally signed off and ready to be published.
Once the book was finally released for sale the whole team (and the publishers!) waited with bated breath to see how the public and gardening industry alike would receive this little ‘piece of Kate.’
We are thrilled to report that the Urban Garden Design has received rave reviews from well-respected gardening experts and enthusiasts alike, both internationally and home grown here in the UK. Currently listed as one of the Top Gardening Books for 2019 by both The English Garden Magazine and the Financial Times – these fabulous endorsements alone are a true testament to all the hard work, love, care and attention that has been poured into this book.
The book has also been serialised for a number of pieces in national newspapers. The Guardian ran a fantastic piece on DIY urban gardening hacks which drew on Kate’s advice for courtyard gardens. The Evening Standard featured an article on Simple City Gardening and how choosing your plants is a really important step to designing the perfect garden, Kate’s planting suggestions from Urban Garden Design as well as images were a great reference for this informative piece. The Telegraph chose to focus on the words of wisdom from Kate’s chapter on rooftops and balconies which gives some sobering practical advice for this often tricky garden type.
As part of the book launch Kate gave a number of talks at gardening shows around the country this Summer. At The RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival crowds turned out to hear her personally talk them through the advice laid out in the book and Kate answered loads of questions from the audience to help them with their own gardens as well as signing their personal copies of the book. Kate also visited BBC Gardeners World Live in Birmingham and both Adam Frost and Kate spoke about their new book releases to all the keen gardeners at the show. The legend that is Jim Buttress went on to interview Kate and Adam about their personal experiences on becoming a garden designer. They both regaled stories of being knee high in mud at Chelsea but how addictive the show is.
Book Summary
Kate has created a stunning guide for gardeners keen to transform small and awkward outdoor spaces into beautiful and practical escapes. From courtyards to rooftops, Kate draws on her experience as an award-winning garden designer to provide tailored solutions and inspirational ideas.
Covering topics such as how to design and measure the perfect garden, choose and use the best materials and maintain a lush garden all year round, Urban Garden Design includes detailed advice for gardeners undeterred by limited space.
This carefully illustrated guide with considered plant suggestions ensures gardeners of all abilities will be able to achieve the best results outdoors. Creating a personal and unique space is also at the heart of each project and Kate makes sure to discuss how to tie each design back to the interior of the home.
Clear sets of do’s and don’ts give a great easy to follow summary at the end of each section on garden types. Kate has also included plant suggestions for each of these sections which can be applied to any garden which will have a similar situation to a warm and dry roof top, a shady and damp basement or an overlooked courtyard garden. An interesting chapter on design solutions for tricky spaces as well as a comprehensive section on lighting oozes with great advice and tips on how to apply these suggestions in your own garden.
For any who may not have had the chance to see the book, or for those looking for a Christmas gift for the green fingered person in their life; most good bookstores will carry a copy or you can order online at Amazon, we are super thrilled that current reviews from customers are rating the book with 5 stars and commenting on how easy they find it to use and what wonderful inspiration it has already provided for them.
Hopefully many more will find this book a great help when thinking about redesigning a current garden or how to approach a new garden project.
Happy reading!