This is such a helpful reference for novice gardeners like me. It goes over many basics of garden design, making a daunting project much less intimidating. The author discusses how important incorporating your own style is and explains what it means to garden with confidence. From the different styles of gardens, incorporating children and wildlife, energy conservation and water consumption, to paths and physical structures, this book gives an excellent overview to make you feel prepared to get started.

I have a large space that was damaged by a winter storm and needs to be redesigned. I believe the knowledge in this book will help me get started to build a beautiful and thriving environment. I enjoyed the pictures and information in the DRC that I was so kindly provided by the publisher through NetGalley so much that I have already ordered a physical copy from my local bookstore to keep in my library and continue to reference as I design my outdoor space.

#CreativeHomeowner

Thank you to #NetGalley and #FoxChapelPublishing

What a great, easy to ready guide to garden design! I especially love the ideas, tips, and tricks to not only design my garden, but make it uniquely mine!

This is a great book from those who don't know where to start. The author showcases the different types of gardens such as rock gardens, wildlife gardens and vegetable gardens. This book allows the reader to discover the type of gardening they're interested in and even discusses using color theory to plan the garden of your dreams.

Lots of easy to understand information on different aspects of planning your garden. I liked how the book is sectioned so that each chapter provides information on a different element of garden design. This book is more about actual designing rather than projects to copy, but I would still recommend.

What a delightful and visually inspiring book. I have been looking forward to planning and designing my own garden, but have zero background in design and the nuances that should be considered. As such, I would classify myself as a beginner and thus the target audience of this book.

This book works through several design elements and concepts that should be considered when thinking about putting together a visually striking garden. And while there are not many specifics, there are tidbits that can guide your own thoughts in exploring your own spaces. I loved the information on what garden ratios provide the most balanced look to a garden and other tips like that. The images in the book to demonstrate each concept are absolutely stunning and perfectly complement the concept being highlighted in the text.

I can say I was personally inspired by many of the concepts brought up in this book and will look into the concepts in more detail, but to even start thinking about a space this book had some great thinking points.

*I would like to thank the publisher, author, and NetGalley for providing an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

Very helpful resource for anyone planning & designing a garden. Includes information on plant, site plan, structures and sustainability.

Beginner’s Guide to Garden Planning and Design is a great resource for starting or updating your garden and landscaping. This book covers all aspects from the layout, what to plant, seating, edging, patch, the list goes on and on. It is a one stop shop to ideas and advice for your garden landscaping. With beautiful pictures and helpful advice, you will quickly find yourself inspired to create your idea of an perfect outdoor space. This book is definitely a reference to keep around for year to come as I update my garden and yard plans.

If you’ve ever stared at your garden and thought, Where do I even start?, Helen Yoest’s guide is here to help you unleash your inner green-thumb genius. Rather than handing you a one-size-fits-all formula, Yoest encourages you to tap into your own creativity and design a garden that feels uniquely yours.

The book is neatly broken into four priorities—basics, styles, elements, and environment—making it super easy to follow. You’ll pick up tips on creating balance, rhythm, and curb appeal, while also learning how to sketch out plans, play with containers, and incorporate cool features like walkways and water.

What I loved most is the focus on sustainability—creating a garden that isn’t just beautiful but also a haven for plants and animals. Whether you’re a newbie or looking for fresh ideas, this book feels more like a guide to discovering your vision rather than following someone else’s.

Grab this if you’re ready to stop scrolling Pinterest and start digging into your own garden dreamscape! 🌱

This is a beautiful book with lots of inspiring photographs. It is a good beginner's guide to planning your yard and garden, with with a wide variety of design principles and ideas to consider or keep in mind. Often I wished for more detailed examples or listed ideas for plants that could fit with different regions and even native gardens, but perhaps this would be beyond its intended scope. I'd love to see additional guides written than take the reader from here through completed examples of creating each of the garden styles mentioned early in the book. Overall, a very enjoyable, inspiring book for yard and garden design.

"Set a goal - enjoy the journey."

This is a terrific reference for those just getting started in gardening, and for experienced gardeners looking for some new ideas. The photos are gorgeous and plentiful. Here you will learn how to plan your dream garden be it formal or informal, and how to work your vision into the space you have available. Yoest offers tips on herb gardens, container gardens, and even moss and rock gardens.

Pick this book up for its practical advice, or for just perusing and dreaming.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher! This book had a lot of good tips and tricks of how to plan or design your outdoor space. I especially appreciated the discussion of rule of thirds and flower beds width around the house. I enjoyed the photographs as well especially the flowers ones of course since this is a gardening book afterall.

Even though I have been a gardener for over 50 years, I still found a great deal of interesting ideas and projects in this book. Very easy to read, beautifully photographed, educational, yet fun. I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher, in return for a fair review, and have been so impressed with it that I have ordered a hard copy for myself and for a fellow gardening neighbor.

Beginners Guide to Garden Planning and Design is a fantastic resource guide. The plans and suggestions are well laid out and presented and the pictures are stunning. This book would make an excellent addition to any gardeners library.

This book gives such great pictures and information. I do wish there was more info but it was a great starter book for anyone who is interested in starting to design their garden! I recommend this book to those who don't know where to start and would like some inspiration. Not many beginner guides have pictures so the fact that almost every page had a picture (if not all) it is a great starter book!

This book is filled with beautiful photos and inspiration. It gives a good overview of elements to consider when planning a garden from visual to colour theory. Beyond these basics each chapter then goes on to give ideas of other physical elements you can add from garden art to arbours, fountains and paths together with some hints on placement.

I was disappointed that there weren’t specifics about what to do, what types of plants look great together or provide some hands on plans. Instead this book encourages you to use your own imagination and creativity.

Thank you to NetGalley and Fox Chapel Publishing for and arc copy in exchange for an honest review.

I'm a new gardener, and my tendency is to want to do everything all at once. This book does a great job of focusing on small projects, though I found there to be a lack of overall concept throughout.

This was a beautifully designed and photographed guidebook to designing your garden. It covers every topic I think you’d ever think of in garden design except different regions/climates which is why I’m giving it 4 stars instead of 5. I live in Florida so some topics geared to heat and tropical temperatures would have been appreciated but otherwise this is a beautiful introductory book for garden planning.

Thanks to the author and publisher for the e-arc I received via NetGalley in exchange for my own opinion.

I was VERY excited to get my hands on a copy of this book because I am working on designing my own garden for 2025. This book was split into small sections and covers everything from planning and designing a garden to the different types of gardens, from formal to container. The photos are beautiful and there is a lot of inspiration along with instruction for those who want to use the book as a guide to creating a green space of their own. *Advance copy provided by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Beginner's Guide to Garden Planning and Design by Helen Yoest is a beautifully laid out resource that offers a wealth of information and inspiration for anyone looking to enhance their outdoor space. Whether you're new to gardening or simply looking for fresh ideas, this book provides 50 simple yet impactful ways to add style and personality to your garden.

The stunning photographs throughout the book are a highlight, adding to the overall reading experience by sparking creativity and offering visual examples of the ideas discussed. The clear, well-organized content makes it easy to refer back to different sections, ensuring this is a resource you'll reach for repeatedly.

Overall, this is a beautiful guide filled with practical advice and inspiration, perfect for gardeners at any level. The combination of informative content and stunning imagery not only makes it a functional resource but also an enjoyable read, adding value to your gardening journey.

Thank you to NetGalley and Fox Chapel Publishing for gifting me the e-book ARC of Beginner's Guide to Garden Planning and Design in exchange for my honest review.

This is a great resource for anyone wanting to design their own yard. I am a Master Gardener and think this would be great book to suggest to people looking for ideas and not knowing where to start.