Very intriguing and informative history of the beginnings and development of the cottage garden (flowers, vegetables) across periods. The author knows his topic quite well, and his love for gardening shines through as well, and the beautiful pictures are a superb addition.

Cover: I like it!

Photography books—the ones addressed as coffee table books—are my personal brand of pick-me-up. These books don’t demand as much energy as novels, they are informative with a soft, soothing undertone, and they simply let you enjoy cool aesthetics.

it’s a win/win, really.

The Cottage Garden showcases gardens that offer a distinctive take on the English cottage aesthetic, displaying color-matched flower beds and quaint sheds. Even so, not all of them are from England! For example, German, Swedish, and Danish gardens are present as well. Each of them has an introduction, too, offering the reader some info about the owners.

My favorites? Der Mutter-Tochter Garten (Essen, Germany) and Kerstin Mannergren Aagren’s garden (Kivik, Sweden).

My only complaint is about the file itself. Old phone, the pictures became blurry when I tried to zoom in; new phone, it says the PDF is too heavy, but then it loads anyway and they’re sharp as a razor. Keep that in mind if you opt for the e-reader version.

4 stars on GR.

This is such a lovely book. It offered me a perfect escape from my life as I looked at absolutely gorgeous photos as I whiled away some time. By the way, the text included in each two page spread is also quite informative. Some of my favorite entries were on Gertrude Jekyll, Vita Sackville-West and Tasha Tudor. I also liked the ones entitled Childhood Memories, The Mother Daughter Garden and, A Special Harmony. That said, wherever a reader looks they will find respite and enjoyment as they visit England Germany, Sweden, Denmark and the U.S.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group for this title. All opinions are my own.

Just delightful! I love books like this. Packed full of beautiful pictures, helpful tips and genius ideas. As someone who is currently working on my yard, this is so helpful. It gave me lots of ideas and beautiful pictures to look at!

Beautifully photographed book that would be welcome on the coffee table of any gardener or plant lover. I would recommend a hard-copy of this book because the digital edition doesn't not easily lend itself to lazy afternoon perusing

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Amazingly beautiful photographs fill this book. Several gardens are shown of various sizes, in different seasons, and of multiple countries, although the majority are English. Information is given about various plants, flowers and even grasses used to create stunning gardens for beauty and relaxation. This would be lovely as a coffee table book but a gardener will get the most enjoyment. Thanks you to Quarto Publishing Group - Cool Springs Press for the temporary ARC via Netgalley.

One of my favourite daydreams is having a beautiful, enchanting garden with the classic stone cottage, filled to brim with wild flowers of all colours. Maybe there are some magical faeries living in there. Maybe other whimsical beings. So when I saw this book, I knew it would be right up my alley.

The Cottage Garden is an absolutely gorgeous book. It’s filled with exquisite cottages and fantastical gardens. Not only are pictures stunning, but Dalby also tells the names of all the flowers pictured, gives us tips, and provides insight for building our own mesmerizing cottage gardens.

This book is perfect as a coffee table piece for those interested in cottagecore, witchy vibes, and fairylike vibes. Although you might spend all day looking through the gardens, wishing you had your own.

This is a gorgeous book full of cottage garden inspiration and beautiful photos. I appreciated that Dalby tells the names of all the flowers pictured. And it is brimming with swoon worthy garden porn.

After a while I got increasingly frustrated with it though because all the gardens are so perfect and they’re all wealthy people with dream houses and carefully manicured cottage gardens. I know a lot of people consider that aspirational but I really prefer ordinary people’s gardens to society ones who give tours. He talks a lot about Instagram and if you like Instagram gardens and Martha Stewart (whom he name drops that she gave him a tour and follows him on instagram) then you will love this book. It reminds me of how “farmhouse style” interior design looks nothing like real farmhouses.

It really is beautiful, but I don’t live in a fairy tale European country home and I prefer real old time functional, messy, character filled, herby, working, whimsical cottage gardens. Still recommended, just with my cranky old lady caveat. 😉

I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for review.

Beautiful collection of inspiring photos of cottage gardens. Perfect for any gardener or open coffee table.

The Cottage Garden is an absolutely beautiful book. It’s filled with gorgeous cottages and magical gardens. It’s informative but enchanting. I especially liked that it features a small piece on Tasha Tudor, one of my favorite artists who also had a lovely garden. I recommend for anyone who loves gardening or just appreciates beauty.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a review and opinions are my own.

What a fantastic book, absolutely full of inspirational photographs. The information of each suggested flower is clear and concise. Several types and sizes of cottage gardens are illustrated and from different countries. Suggested garden structures, walls... houses even are all considered here. Photos are from different times of the year too, to give a sense of all-year-round riots of colour. excellent book.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publish for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

If you are looking for inspiration in order to help your house, feel more like a cottage. I will definitely be picking this book up. From start to finish in this book there are beautiful pictures with wonderful descriptions. This book was truly inspirational when trying to figure out how to turn your house into a more elegant feel, and which plants to use in order to create a comfortable home. I am an owner of four beautiful chickens, and I love the fact that chickens made an appearance in this book as well as other animals, but I definitely needed to point out the chickens because mine bring me so much joy!

What a beautiful book, I love cottage gardens and this book showcases them wonderfully.

Full of stunning photographs which detail all different flowers some I have and others I’m wishing for. The tips and visuals will make anyone want to plant a little cottage style into their own garden no matter how big or small.

I definitely want to buy a hard copy as I can enjoy looking at the beautiful gardens whenever I need some inspiration.

ARC Rating 4.25/5 ⭐️

This was a really nice book.

Claus Dalby explores the history of the cottage garden and includes such lovely organic, unstructured cottage garden photos.

It helps break down different gardens and details flower varieties and makes for such an amazing reference. The fluffy, dreamy, slightly wild landscapes that they detail are soft and romantic.

Thank you, NetGalley, Cool Springs Press, and Claus Dalby for sending this book for review. All opinions are my own.

This book is charming, quite like a cottage garden itself in it's scrapbook style arrangement of photos sprinkling with the author's commentary. While I think this book will appeal to a certain types of readers and gardeners, it would benefit from a polish, either with some professional stylized photography, or including passages that are more informative/instructional rather than anecdotal. While I appreciated what I was reading, I found myself wishing for information on how to achieve similar aesthetics in my own garden. Perhaps including planting "recipes", plant care/preferences, or maybe even the best places to purchase seeds or plants would make this book more beneficial to more people.

The Cottage Garden by Claus Dalby is an absolute delight. This homage to gardens,, specifically the style known as cottage gardens, will bring joy to gardeners, cottage aficionados, and flower lovers. The stunning photos of the beauty of nature in all its vibrant colors will have you planning your own garden, even if you live in a city apartment.

I’ve gotten serious about my vegetable garden and have started a flower garden. I ideally want a “cottage garden” and have been looking for a good source. And walla I found this book.
It’s comprised of the history of cottage gardens and some original photos. It took me back in time with their stunning beauty. Flowering meadows and magnificent spaces. I wish to visit Christopher Lloyd’s house one day.
The author gave me historical insight on William Robinson who was the first to start a wild garden in the nineteenth century. Followed by several more beautiful gardens and their unique history.
And lastly she took me on a tour of several stunning gardens of today. I was enchanted and now have many ideas. I highly recommend to anyone who loves a flower garden.
Thanks Quarto Publishing Group via NetGalley.

Spectacular photos! This is a great book for any gardener and gives you a glimpse into other people's garden ideas. I could spend an entire day looking at photos of flowers. This book is an excellent collection of garden information and photos. I felt like I was in a whimsical fairy garden in each page 🧚‍♀️🌸🌿

This lovely book explores the origins of the cottage garden, referencing such gardening greats as Gertrude Jekyll, Vita Sackvile-West and Tasha Tudor. Glorious photographs of some of the world’s most beautiful cottage gardens are accompanied by instructions on how to create a cottage garden of one’s own. A beautiful book for gardeners and naturalists

A beautiful book for any gardener!
I’m so nosey when it comes to other people’s gardens so this is the perfect book for me! Full of stunning, colourful photos, my plant wishlist now has several additions! I loved the authors informal writing style, reading the book felt like chatting to a friend. I shall be purchasing many copies and gifting to friends, family and myself!

Thank you Netgalley, Quarto Publishing and Claus Dalby for this ARC.