The Layered Garden

Gardenmaking, in its finest form, is a celebration of life and of love. David and his book epitomize this. Lauren Springer Ogden Brandywine Cottage is David Culp's beloved two-acre Pennsylvania garden where he mastered the design technique of layering interplanting many different species in the same area so that as one plant passes its peak, another takes over. The result is a nonstop parade of color that begins with a tapestry of heirloom daffodils and hellebores in spring and ends with a jewel-like blend of Asian wildflowers at the onset of winter.The Layered Garden shows you how to recreate Culp's majestic display. It starts with a basic lesson in layering how to choose the correct plants by understanding how they grow and change throughout the seasons, how to design a layered garden, and how to maintain it. To illustrate how layering works, Culp takes you on a personal tour through each part of his celebrated garden: the woodland garden, the perennial border, the kitchen garden, the shrubbery, and the walled garden. The book culminates with a chapter dedicated to signature plants for all four seasons.

“'This is one for your must read list...and it would make a wonderful gift for anyone who loves plants and gardens."”

"So imaginative is Culp's genius and so resourceful his passion for plants and design that his layered garden offers more sensory delights per square foot than most gardens manage to achieve over acres." --Booklist

"Spellbinding writing and Cardillo's breathtaking photos entice readers through Culp's woodland garden. An essential title in the 'how I did it' genre of garden writing." --Library Journal

"I love the book. . . . It teaches us how to design and maintain a complex, layered garden." --Garden Rant

"Offers the perfect blend of inspiration and practical advice. Readers will come away with plenty of ideas and guidance to create their own layered, four-season gardens wherever they live." --American Gardener

"This is one for your must read list. . . . and it would make a wonderful gift for anyone who loves plants and gardens." --A Charlotte Garden

"Culp shares the beauty of Brandywine and some of his garden-design secrets." --McClatchy-Tribune News

"If you are planning to design or redesign a space next spring and summer, this is a wonderful guide to choose." --Northern Gardener

"A visual feast of inspiration combined with practical advice on how to put together a garden that shines throughout the year. A great winter read." --Detroit News

"A good choice for people trying to correct their jumbled mess of a landscape." --Harrisburg Patriot-News

"An overview of how to plant for climate change and aesthetics to create a garden that's dynamic in every season." --The Strategist

Along with his partner, Michael Alderfer, David Culp is the creator of the gardens at Brandywine Cottage in Downingtown, Pennsylvania. David has been lecturing about gardens nationwide for more than 25 years. His articles have appeared in Country Living, Fine Gardening, Green Scene, and many other publications. He is a former contributing editor to Horticulture magazine and served as chairman of the Mid-Atlantic Hardy Plant Society. An expert on herbaceous perennials, David is vice president for Sunny Border Nurseries in Connecticut. He developed the Brandywine Hybrid strain of hellebores and was cited in the Wall Street Journal for his expertise on snowdrops. The garden at Brandywine Cottage has been featured several times in Martha Stewart Living and on HGTV. Visit him at davidlculp.com.Adam Levine is an award-winning garden writer whose work has appeared in several books as well as many regional and national magazines. He lives and gardens in Media, Pennsylvania.Rob Cardillo has been photographing gardens, plants, and the people who tend them for more than 20 years. Formerly the director of photography at Organic Gardening, he now works for major publishers, horticultural suppliers, and landscape designers throughout the United States. Visit him at robcardillo.com.

What is a layered garden? It's a garden that offers four seasons of beauty from a single patch of ground. From the first snowdrops of spring to the last branches, berries, and bark of winter, a layered garden is rich with wonder. And it's within your reach. In these pages, renowned gardener David Culp shows you the plants, tips, and techniques that he uses in his own garden to create dazzling combinations that you can emulate or adapt. Guided by his wisdom and experience, you'll soon have a layered garden of your own that will grow in loveliness with each passing year.

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