Those who love sophisticated garden design books will enjoy Your Natural Garden. The book explores wild and natural garden sites from many locales, and offers exquisite ideas for planting choices and arrangements. But the emphasis is on natural environments: hillsides, ravines, wide expanses of land- that I do not have available to experiment with or implement such designs. But for meditating on gardens beckoning the viewer and reader to enjoy the beauty of the natural, this volume is wonderful.

Your Natural Garden" is a stunning visual feast that offers both inspiration and guidance for creating a harmonious, nature-friendly outdoor space. Author Kelly D. Norris takes readers on a journey through a variety of landscapes, showcasing how to design and maintain a garden that not only looks beautiful but also supports local ecosystems and biodiversity.

While the book may not delve deeply into the practicalities of gardening, its strength lies in its ability to evoke a sense of wonder and appreciation for the natural world. Norris's photographs are simply breathtaking, and the accompanying text provides valuable insights into plant selection, habitat creation, and sustainable gardening practices.

I found myself poring over the pages of "Your Natural Garden" for hours, drawing inspiration from the diverse range of gardens featured within. Whether you're a seasoned gardener or just starting out, this book is an invaluable resource for anyone looking to create a space that celebrates the beauty and diversity of nature.

When I requested this Arc, I was expecting gardening advice but instead would up with meditative reflections on life in the garden. Enjoyable book but I do feel that a print edition may be a better vehicle for this material

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

I enjoyed the gorgeous photography and the idea behind this book. I’m not sure I’m the target audience. It’s inspiring but doesn’t have much in terms of specific advice to implement the ideas presented. It seems a better fit for landscape designers looking to incorporate more native plants into their designs while maintaining a design aesthetic. It’s a lovely book for the right people!

I liked that this book focused more on ecology and biodiversity aspects of gardening. I had difficulty reading it fully because I only had a digital arc file, so I ordered a print copy because I really want to read more! There are also many titles in the references that I am very interested in checking out.

This was very diffefent from the gardening and nature books that I had been reading and coming across with the author’s musings and insights in the form of essays, I found this refreshing and it read like a meditation on gardens and nature.

This is a beautifully illustrated book but I didn’t find it very practical. I loved the photos of various natural gardens but I found the book to be very wordy and esoteric without giving basic helpful information. I was hoping for step by step photos and instructions for installing a new natural garden where there is currently grass, for instance, instructions for seeding a meadow garden, and lots of recommended plants. There is no talk of plant recommendations and it’s mostly essays about her opinions on gardens, pesticides, design, color, etc. I have to admit to skimming most of the text and just enjoying the photos, but I would have preferred more photos and shorter, more informative text. It’s still a beautiful book.

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