Spirit : garden inspiration

In this unique book influential garden designer Dan Pearson, weekly columnist for The Observer, discloses his personal inspirations.

Dan uses his own distinctive photographs as reference points - giving the reader a direct and intimate insight into where and what he draws upon when working on his own projects.

The images show how he looks at his surroundings, and importantly, how they inform his approach of working with nature rather than attempting to dominate it.

The theme running throughout the book is that of being able to read different landscapes, being open to ideas, and to take inspiration from many varying sources.

The breadth of his influences include sculpture, tree houses and Chicago prairies, taking in locations both wild and gardened.

Journeying from New Zealand to Japan, via Thames-side barge gardens, he focuses on the 'spirit' or 'sense of place' generated by the geography, history, architecture, aspect, and native flora of a particular site: the starting point of this gifted designer when embarking on any new project.

Far from being a traditional gardening publication, this book expands the genre - inviting us to see gardening in a different light - through the eyes of one of its most talented practitioners.