By the Book: Durie's outdoor rooms are drool-worthy
June 10, 2011
Peggy Mackenzie
SPECIAL TO THE STAR
Jamie Durie’s The Outdoor Room
By Jamie Durie
Harpercollins Publishers, 2011
192 Pages, $27.99 Paperback
You can drool over the spectacular outdoor rooms showcased in this book or drool over Australian landscape designer Jamie Durie — it’s a win win in either case.
Host of HGTV’s The Outdoor Room, Durie came to the gardening profession on a circuitous path. With those good looks and athletic build, his first adult job was touring with a cabaret-acrobat-trapeze troupe. Lucky for us, he was also checking out local gardens, and now with his HGTV gig, he has melded the best of his gardening and acting worlds.
Durie introduces readers to basic gardening concepts in the first two chapters and then introduces case studies in the rest of the book. The fifteen remarkable outdoor retreats will have you measuring your outdoor space.
Each case study begins with a two-page colour spread, which sets the tone for the project. A design brief gives the background to the family and the gardening challenges. Design solutions follow. Photographer Tonya McCahon beautifully captures the outdoor rooms.
Each room is deconstructed and eco tips are outlined in green. More photos follow, as do tips on garden care and a plant list. A nice touch at the end of each study is the design inspiration that Durie channeled for the project. His world travels provide fodder for all that he designs.
Outside of southern Ontario and southern British Columbia, most plants are not zoned for Canada, but the design layout will work for most Canadian gardens.
Peggy Mackenzie is a Toronto Star librarian addicted to home, decor and gardening books. Contact her with book review requests at pmackenzie@thestar.ca.