IF we like a person, we will probably like their garden according to author Trisha Dixon.
In Spirit of the Garden, Trisha explores the relationship between people, their gardens and the natural landscape through written reflections and evocative photographs.
The book looks at gardens of all shapes and sizes, from the formal to the wild, the peaceful to the flamboyant, the native to the exotic and the colourful to the monochrome.
It looks beyond just the design and plants of a garden to explore the feeling that lingers long after a person has left.
One chapter delves into how gardens and natural landscapes have inspired artists, thinkers and writers, from Socrates, to Jorn Utzon.
Another chapter explores the shift to landscape design that connects with the Aboriginal history and mythology embedded in the land.
At its heart, the book emphasises the importance of understanding and respecting the environment while designing and making our gardens.
Spirit of the Garden, by Trisha Dixon (National library of Australia), RRP $65