Wall And Water Gardens - Practical Guide to Walls and Water

In this review of Wall And Water Gardens, Gertrude Jekyll provides a focused manual for gardeners and designers who want to tame two challenging but rewarding settings: vertical walls and water features. The book's single biggest reason to buy is its combination of historical perspective and practical instruction, delivered by a respected voice in garden design. This review explains who benefits most from the text and what to expect from Jekyll's approach to plant selection, construction details and layout advice for both walls and water gardens.

Key Features

• Historical context: Jekyll opens with a clear introduction to the history of wall and water gardens, helping readers understand how past practices inform modern design choices.
• Practical construction guidance: The book provides step-by-step discussion on how to build walls and construct water features, useful for hands-on gardeners and small-scale designers.
• Plant selection advice: Jekyll recommends plants suited to vertical and aquatic settings, helping readers choose climbers, creepers and water plants that perform well in those environments.
• Placement and composition: Detailed notes on arranging plants for visual impact guide users on composition, balance and how to use texture and form in limited spaces.
• Dual-environment focus: By covering both walls and water, the book is a single reference for projects that combine hardscape and aquatic elements in a garden.

Who It's For

Wall And Water Gardens is best for home gardeners, landscape enthusiasts and small-scale designers who appreciate historical perspective tied to actionable guidance. Its practical chapters on building walls and water features make it especially useful for readers planning to add a vertical or aquatic element to an existing garden.

Those seeking exhaustive plant lists or modern commercial installation specifications may need supplemental sources, since the book emphasizes design principles and hands-on methods rather than exhaustive modern catalogues or heavy engineering detail.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Well-balanced mix of history and hands-on instruction that clarifies why certain techniques work.
• Clear guidance on plant selection and placement for both vertical and aquatic settings.
• Practical building advice that supports do-it-yourself projects for walls and water features.

Cons

• Not a modern catalogue of plants or commercial-grade engineering specifications, so professionals may need additional resources.

Specifications

Our Verdict

Wall And Water Gardens is a thoughtful, practical reference that blends historical insight with actionable instruction. Home gardeners and small-scale designers will find good value in Jekyll's advice on building walls, creating water features and choosing compatible plants. It is recommended for readers who want principled, usable guidance rather than a modern commercial manual.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the book explain how to build water features?
Yes, the book includes practical discussion on constructing water features suitable for garden settings.

Are the plant recommendations suitable for modern gardens?
Jekyll gives plant selection and placement guidance that translates well to modern gardens, though readers may supplement with current nursery lists.

Who should avoid this book?
Landscape contractors seeking detailed engineering specifications or exhaustive modern plant catalogues should look to more technical references.