Books that inspire gardeners
Selected by Clare Coulson
The gardens of Ulf Nordfjell by Ulf Nordfjell (Merrell, £40)
The effects of climate change shape the latest book by Swedish designer Ulf Nordfjell. In addition to his own country cabin in Sweden, which lies just below the Arctic Circle and is covered in snow five months of the year, there are chic urban gardens in the heart of Stockholm, as well as the cool-modern gardens of Villa Lumen, a reinterpretation of a 1930s house in southern France.
The Almanac: A Seasonal Guide to 2025 by Lia Leendertz (Octopus, £12.99)
This is the eighth edition of the gardening author's best-selling (and widely copied) almanac, filled with insights into the natural world. This year's theme is ancient astrology and there is information about supermoons and meteor showers, folklore and “Megalith of the Month”, with beautiful illustrations by Sarah Abrehart.
Visionary by Claire Takacs with Giacomo Guzzon (Hardie Grant, £36)
Australian photographer Takacs captures more than 80 private and public gardens for this moving survey exploring the way designers are responding to climate change, with future-proof landscapes that are as diverse as they are inspiring. She travels from the Mediterranean and Morocco to Northern Europe, the UK and the USA, as well as to gardens near her birthplace near Melbourne.
Catesby's Natural History by Stephen A Harris (Bodleian, £50)
Naturalist and artist Mark Catesby spent 20 years compiling his vivid illustrations of travels to North America and the Caribbean, creating one of the most influential travel guides to flora and fauna of the 18th century. Illustrated from the second edition of his book in 1754, this is an exotic compendium of the birds, reptiles, fish and flowers that captured the imagination in the golden age of botanical gardens across Europe.
The Gardens of Venice by Toto Bergamo Rossi and Marco Bay (Marsilio Arte, £60)
It's easy to imagine that in a city with exquisite architecture and emerald waterways, there are few green spaces. But this rich overview reveals the lush gardens hidden behind the walls of beautiful palazzi or on islands in the city's lagoon, all photographed by a Venetian local.
Absorbed by the beauty by Britt Willoughby (Rooksmoor Press, £100 for both volumes)
This limited art book in a signed and numbered edition of 200 copies is an exquisite documentation of the photographer's historic tulip collection. The flowers are compiled here in two volumes (in color or black and white), each containing 10 embossed plates of historic tulip varieties covered in Japanese tissue paper. Images from the book are also currently being shown in a solo exhibition at the Cotswolds Hotel Thyme until February 3rd.
The power by Katia Lysy (Rizzoli, £46)
The English writer Iris Origo bought a Renaissance villa and estate in Tuscany with her husband Antonio La Foce in 1924. The transformation and creation of a hugely influential garden of immaculate parterres, fountains and towering cypresses is now documented in this lavish book written by her granddaughter, which combines archival images with modern photography by Simon Upton and Matteo Carassale.
Noguchi's Gardens by Marc Treib (ORO Editions, £55)
Isamu Noguchi has been gardening since childhood and although he is better known for his diverse work in furniture, sculpture and lighting, this insightful study illustrates the breadth of his work in landscape, both conceptual and realized. The designs, from modernist playgrounds to minimalist gravel gardens, convey a sense of space that feels as fresh today as it did half a century ago.
Interior design books for inspiration
Selected by Aimee Farrell
Studio Ashby: Home, Art, Soul by Sophie Ashby (Rizzoli, £45)
Growing up between England and South Africa, interior designer Sophie Ashby's travel-loving childhood sparked a fascination with home that continues to enrich her brilliantly clean and characterful aesthetic. In her debut monograph, she surveys a decade of projects, each bursting with color and pattern, from the Kensington apartment where JM Barrie wrote Peter Pan to her own spirited former home in Shoreditch.
The World of Atelier Vime: A Renaissance of Wickerwork and Style (Flammarion, £60)
When Benoît Rauzy and Anthony Watson discovered an abandoned basketry workshop in the attic of their 18th century home villait ushered in a whole new chapter in their lives – and in the history of Rattan. This book details the rich history of weaving in its Provençal village of Vallabrègues and the origins of its decorative designs, all spectacularly displayed in their own homes – not least in a newly acquired Louis XV-era castle in Normandy.
Turn of the century by Henry Bourne and Pillar Villadas (Rizzoli, £57.95)
A very special clarity and openness is conveyed through the lens of Henry Bourne. In this compendium of interiors and portraits from the 1990s to 2010s, the British photographer portrays the private worlds of the giants of art, architecture and design – from Lucienne and Robin Day to John Pawson and Zaha Hadid – and cleverly captures their essence moments.
John Derian Picture Book II by John Derian (Workman Publishing, £65)
New York designer and chic shop owner John Derian's decoupage plates and home accessories are a testament to the enduring appeal of paper goods and defy the digital age. This is a 375-page treasure trove of Derian's enchanting source material—from 19th-century botanical plates to artists' sketchbooks and paint samples—from his extensive personal collection.
John Soane's Cabinet of Curiosities by Bruce Boucher (Yale, £34.99)
Art historian and former director of the Soane Museum Bruce Boucher explores the neoclassical architect's collection of more than 40,000 objects. Set in the context of the popular interiors of Lincoln's Inn Fields – catacombs, monk's lounge, crypt and all – it illuminates the crucial role of house museums today.
Italian interiors: rooms with a view by Laura May Todd (Phaidon, £49.95)
Writer Laura May Todd's immersion in Italy's immense design history began in earnest when she moved there from Canada in 2016. This book is a tribute to 50 of her most delicious discoveries, ranging from film director Luca Guadagnino's dramatic lake house to 20th-century designer Carlo Mollino's decadent Turin hideout.
Designed for Life: The World's Best Product Designers (Phaidon, £49.95)
Both a visual dictionary of 100 contemporary creators from around the world – including the kaleidoscopic creations of London's Yinka Ilori, the knitted sofas of Seoul's Kwangho Lee, and the tranquil buildings of Rotterdam's Sabine Marcelis – and a fitting tribute to wondrous diversity of design applications and materials.
The Paris flea market by Kate Van Den Boogert (Prestel, £35)
Since the ragamuffins, right ChiffonierThe Puces de Paris Saint-Ouen, who first officially gathered outside the city limits to sell their wares in the mid-19th century, have attracted the attention of collectors. Now author Kate van den Boogert impressively brings her endless treasures to life and portrays her most revered dealers and dedicated jewelry hunters.
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