Planting Design for Dry Gardens: Beautiful, Resilient Groundcovers for Terraces, Paved Areas, Gravel and Other Alternatives to the Lawn by Olivier Filippi

Green lawns are restful to the eye, provide an excellent backdrop to plants and trees and keep the weeds down, but in low-rainfall regions they often end up looking scrappy and brown. This book offers low-level planting designs that are ecofriendly and so beautiful they redefine the conventional distinction between lawn and plant borders. Inspired by the wild plant communities of Europe, the Middle East, and the U.S., these rigorously trialed plant combinations can be used on terraces, paths, gravel beds and flower borders, as well as areas that are traditionally laid to lawn. Plant choices include the tough new macrothermal grasses, carpeting groundcovers and stunning wild flower mixes that thrive among gravel and stone. With a plant directory that lists over 200 tough but beautiful dry garden plants and Filippi’s innovative maintenance techniques, this book will delight all dry garden owners