In this beautiful book, renowned garden designer and landscape architect welcomes us into both her home garden and behind the scenes of many of the public landscaping projects to which she has contributed. Divided up month-by-month, van der Kloet's latest work is filled with ideas and information that are sure to be inspiring for gardeners of all stripes.

As an avid bulb gardener, van der Kloet focuses heavily, though not exclusively, on bulb varieties and how they can be mixed and scattered to create naturalistic effects all year long. In addition to bulbs, the book contains many sections dedicated to recommended varieties of trees, ornamental grasses, wall climbers, and many other categories of plant. The focus of the book are van der Kloet's gardening to-dos for each month and the evolution of her garden as it journeys through the seasons; throughout time lapses of different areas of her garden over the course of the year show how her planting method creates dynamic landscapes regardless of season. There are many other helpful areas of the book, such as lists of recommended plants by color as well as other notable features and a breakdown of key gardening tools. I especially appreciate the areas where van der Kloet speaks to her gardening regrets and plants she once used but now avoids and the reasons why the were not ideal for her projects. In addition to discussing her own garden, van der Kloet also shares anecdotes, planning diagrams, and photos of several public garden projects to which she has contributed.

As an only very occasional gardener, I appreciate that van der Kloet includes a wide range of methods for using plants even for those with limited traditional gardening space; she includes sections on container planting bulbs and creating "islands" of bulbs within a lawn that can be mowed over once they are out of season. While this is a book of documentation, reflection, and inspiration rather than a step-by-step guide, I think there is enough of a wealth and variety of information that gardeners of all kinds can find something useful in these pages.

3.5 stars

This book is written by an internationally well known garden designer who is especially known for her work with bulbs. In this book, she works through a year in the garden - and not only her own garden, but some of the projects she's worked on. It's jam packed with photos of lush gardens and plantings.

She describes a devastating loss in her own garden, from an invasive species, and the evolution of the garden from the plants she replaced them with. She provides great advice for planning for and ordering bulbs for the spring - one such recommendation is to order early. I've unhappily experienced the bulbs that I wanted being completely sold out. Even if you don't have much land available, the author suggests other options for planting beautiful bulbs for color and beauty by planting in the fall for spring blooms. I am partial to spring bulbs so I appreciated her discussions and photographs of some projects that she designed and completed. She also includes a discussion about plants that were mistakes - perhaps they became too invasive or they didn't achieve the desired effect.

This book also includes the author's favorite flowers and plants by color, tasks in the garden year round, a discussion of favored tools.

I think every gardener would enjoy this book, but my favorite parts of the book were the projects the author has worked on, particularly with bulb collections and the combination gardens with plants, based on colors, texture, and timing of the blooming periods.

What I love most about the book is how the author incorporates stunning images of gardens, capturing their transformation throughout the months of the year. She seamlessly weaves her personal gardening experiences into this journey, starting with September, which I found particularly interesting. It’s hard for me to choose a favorite month, a favorite corner, or even a favorite flower because each moment and detail reveals a unique beauty.

*My Garden* is a dreamy stroll through Jacqueline van der Kloet’s lush and naturalistic home garden—a living masterpiece that’s inspired gardeners worldwide. Month by month, Jacqueline shares how her creative process comes to life, from her famous "toss and plant" bulb technique to her love for blending perennials, grasses, and shrubs in stunning seasonal harmony. Packed with beautiful photos, favorite plant lists, and design tips, this book is perfect for anyone who loves the magic of gardens that feel both artful and wild. A must-read for garden lovers looking to spark their own seasonal inspiration!

What a great gardening book!!! So enjoyable and easy to read! I love the fact that it is divided by months with ideas for each of them! This book is a must in every gardener bookshelf!!!

What a delightful read! Spending the year with the author in her garden was educational and enjoyable. I especially liked the various A Year in My Garden pages, photos taken from the same spot in the garden for each month of the year.. Really a way to get perspective on the changes in the garden. And the favorite plant spotlight by color was way more helpful than random recommendations scattered about. I really enjoyed this book!