The Sensuous Garden - Tapa dura

The sight of a colourful border or the scent of a rose may excite the senses and provide the elusive "feelgood factor". In this text, journalist and broadcaster Don shows how to exploit the sensuous qualities of your garden to the full. Each sense is examined in turn, with an explanation of how it works and how the messages we receive from the garden affect our moods and emotions. He takes a sensuous journey through every part of the garden, from the soil itself, through plants and garden wildlife, to walls and surfaces and features such as pools and pergolas. The journey reveals how each season brings its own distinct sensations, from the fresh smells and colours of spring to the cold, stark beauty of winter. The descriptions of sensory experiences are accompanied by practical guidance for creating your own sensuous garden, with ideas for planning and design. Photographs bring the sights, scents, tastes and sounds of the sensuous garden to life, and a directory describes the characteristics and needs of 200 of the best plants for stimulating the senses.

Monty Don is one of Britain's leading garden writers and broadcasters. He has presented numerous gardening programmes on television including a five year stint as lead presenter of BBC's Gardener's World and Around the World in 80 Gardens. He has published 12 books including The Complete Gardener, The Jewel Garden (with his wife Sarah) and Growing Out of Trouble which describes his attempts to establish a small holding growing organic vegetables with local drug addicts. He was gardening correspondent for the Observer for 12 years and now writes for the Daily Mail. He is an organic farmer as well as gardener and is President of The Soil Association.