Bibliotaph... Hedge Fun

Bibliotaph... Hedge Fun Compiled by Victoria Chase

Capitalizing on current trends to live smaller and with less stuff, garden designer Isa Hendry Eaton and lifestyle writer Jennifer Blaise Kramer outline sound design principles demonstrating how to create a compact yet elegant and exciting outdoor living space for entertaining or relaxing. Isa Hendry Eaton and Jennifer Blaise Kramer—Small Garden Style: A Design Guide for Outdoor Rooms and Containers— hardcover, 192 pages, Ten Speed Press (crownpublishing.com)

This hefty, large-format tome features more than 550 detailed quill-pen illustrations of 212 tree species, each drawn to a scale of 1:100. First published in 1982, and out of print for two decades, this is the first English-language edition of a study by Italian architects Cesare Leonardi and Franca Stagi that took more than twenty years to complete. Cesare Leonardi and Franca Stagi—The Architecture of Trees— hardcover, 424 pages, Princeton Architectural Press (papress.com) A passionate edible gardener and locavore advocate, Jack Staub takes readers on an intimate tour of more than twenty stunning private gardens in Virginia, New York, Connecticut, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Massachusetts. Jack Staub (writer) and Rob Cardillo (photographer)— Private Edens: Beautiful Country Gardens— hardcover, 256 pages, Gibbs Smith (gibbs-smith.com)

The thirty gardens profiled encompass everything from grandiose displays at Versailles to a tiny terrace in the Marais. Zahid Sardar (writer) and Marion Brenner (photographer)—In & Out Paris: Gardens of Secret Delights—hardcover, 264 pages, Gibbs Smith (gibbs-smith.com)

bib 'li' o 'taph, [bib-lee-uhtaf, -tahf ]: a person who caches or hoards books

Editor Carl Dellatore's compilation of essays by foremost garden designers working in the present era presents a comprehensive education on all facets of creating a garden. Ample photography accompanying each designer's article makes this an impactful visual reference book. Carl Dellatore (editor)—Garden Design Master Class: 100 Lessons from The World's Finest Designers on the Art of the Garden—hardcover, 288 pages, Rizzoli (rizzoliusa.com)

A testament to his global popularity, books by Israeli author Meir Shalev are published in more than twentyfive languages. In this colorfully illustrated book, Shalev shares his deep appreciation for his beloved garden, situated on the perimeter of Israel's Jezreel Valley, which he writes is, "neither neatly organized nor well kept." Meir Shalev—My Wild Garden: Notes from a Writer's Eden— hardcover, 304 pages, Schrocken Press, (penguinrandomhouse.com) Designed by Michael Van Valkenburg, the intimate walled Monk's Garden at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston is notable for its meandering paths through a dreamlike woodland. In his own words, the prominent landscape architect shares the background of the Monk's Garden, focusing on the experimental nature of the design, along with the uniqueness of working on a small scale within a broader historical and cultural context. Michael Van Valkenburg— Designing A Garden—hardcover, 208 pages, The Monacelli Press (monacellipress.com)

In addition to commissions from some of the world's most famous fashion houses and well-known brands in tech and spirits, Olaf Hajek's illustrations have also appeared in The New Yorker, Rolling Stone, GQ, and Architectural Digest, among others. Here he lends his formidable talents to educating children about the health benefits of flowers. Christine Paxmann (writer), Olaf Hajek (illustrator)—Flower Power: The Magic of Nature's Healers— hardcover, 40 pages, Prestel Junior (penguinrandomhouse.com)

Bestselling author, flower farmer, and floral designer Erin Benzakein offers advice on every phase of working with cut flowers plucked from your own garden or purchased at the market. The twenty-five how-to projects encompass everything from eye-popping centerpieces to festive wreaths. Erin Benzakein, Chris Benzakein, Jill Jorgensen, and Julie Chai—Floret Farm's A Year In Flowers: Designing Gorgeous Arrangements for Every Season—hardcover, 312 pages, Chronicle Books (chroniclebooks.com)