A black market trade in planting design handouts from Hilary Thomas’s course at Capel manor maybe brought to an end with the publication of this tome, which is essentially a compilation of the sought after course notes.

The impressive volume of knowledge condensed into this book is staggering. It really does attempt to cover everything. This information has been broken down into concise, well written paragraphs that explain each planting design principle in just a handful of sentences. Each design point includes well chosen examples of specific plants to try – and how to use them.

Toward the back of the book, there are also some really useful lists of plants for specific environments, for example ground-cover plants for shady areas and trees for dry shade. There’s also an excellent section devoted to the practical aspects of working as a planting designer, such as sourcing plants and producing maintenance schedules.