Thought it would be a good idea to start with some of the garden design books that, since I started this profession, I always have close by, on the pile of books that sits below my drawing board.

The Essential Garden Book by Terence Conran & Dan Pearson, It’s inspiring and always gives me good ideas. Is exciting to open it every time, actually the lecture is also amusing and full of ideas that can be used in many situations. It’s the book that puts my mind ready to absorbe ideas and envision new landscapes and as such to start flourishing new projects and make them real.

It is a jewel. This book was recommended in one of the first classes I had in Sheffield University, actually it was James Hitchmough, who showed it to us. Is a simple, inspiring, good pics and good info book for every landscaper.

Later on, there are certainly more, some of them monograph books of a single professional. You really never know where the inspiration will come, but some are, for example, Peter Walker and Partners Landscape Architecture Defining the Craft. For me you should not only look the images, is a great lecture, and since I read it, I’ve always being looking (everywhere I’ve worked) for a mentor. Someone able to challenge you and show you the craft. I believe that is the best way to learn and the best way to enjoy (although sometimes one may eat it’s own words).

Another book is Mirrors of Paradise – The Gardens of Fernando Caruncho. Again very inspiring, and it is amazing how while I was studying in Sheffield quite a few of my colleagues come out with his famous image of his garden Mas de les Voltes, where the geometry prevails with those magnificent wheat parterres, cypress and olive promenades, so Mediterranean but so characteristic of this great gardener, and which has make him world known. I do consider him my mentor while I worked (and learned) with him.

The three books are actually very different, but they have one thing in common, the three intent to educate the eye and the person behind on how to see the landscape.

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