Diarmuid Gavin's Big Ideas: From "Homefront In The Garden" - Hardcover

Like him or loathe him, Diarmuid Gavin has a talent for injecting full-blown modernism into that most traditional of traditions: the English garden. Feeling no guilt or constraints about decimating a suburban garden whose framework has probably remained the same for decades, he rejuvenates a site with a practical, owner-specific creation. Not necessarily what many people would regard as a garden and often more like a futuristic showpiece from Chelsea, but that is not Diarmuid Gavin's point. He has designed it with the owners, it reflects their needs and wants and he has turned their dream into a completely personal reality. Whilst you may feel sorry for the neighbours of someone with a mini disco or cinema in their back garden, it is what the owners want. And, yes, most of his designs are beyond the general public's imagination, but they echo the past, highlighting plants and making the most of existing features. So don't be put off by his TV persona, his horticultural knowledge and landscape design talent are sound and a lot can be gleaned from within these pages. - Lucy Watson

With his controversial designs and experimental use of materials, Diarmuid Gavin has challenged the way we think about the ordinary domestic garden. In Diarmuid Gavin's Big Ideas from Homefront in the Garden: Designs for Outdoor Living, Diarmuid draws on the very best of his designs from Home Front in the Garden and Home Front, to show you how you too can re-evaluate your outdoor space and create the garden of your dreams. Chapters on dens, living spaces, enclosures, planting and creating levels offer an array of inspirational new approaches to using colour, materials, structures and plants in gardens of all sizes. From ultra-contemporary chic to a modern party space, a plant lovers? haven or a traditional cottage garden, Diarmuid offers up big ideas to suit a wide range of tastes and lifestyles. Illustrated with stunning colour photographs of the best gardens and features is an invaluable design sourcebook, guaranteed to inspire you, whether you are designing from scratch or just improving your existing garden. Packed with advice and useful information about laying out hard landscaping, introducing lighting and technology into your garden and including lists of recommended plants, Diarmuid Gavin's Big Ideas from Homefront in the Garden will guide you in your quest to turn any nondescript plot into a stylish garden.