The design process is very fascinating. Many of you may have read my previous blogs on design preparedness and process and you have decided to learn more. Well here is my list of top design books to help you go deeper into design. This list is by no means exhaustive and if you have more you’d like to share please post them in the comments area.

The Essential Garden Design Workbook: Second Edition by Rosemary Alexander (check out her website!)

- a great manual to get you started! Walks you through the complete Residential process in an easy to read format. Includes wonderful sketches.

RESIDENTIAL LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE by Norman K. Booth

--a text book I used in my residential design classes in college. Reads like a text book but has great sketches and blurbs to help move you through the chapters.

FROM CONCEPT TO FORM IN LANDSCAPE DESIGN by Grant W Reid

-- A small text book from my third year studio at Texas A&M. Covers the use of form and how to understand space concepts and organization.

LANDSCAPE GRAPHICS by Grant W. Reid

--a fantastic book that teaches graphics; in college we used this for our first graphics studio. Easy to work through and gives great images and exercises to teach you how to draw plans, perspectives, and other types of drawings used by designers.

COLOR DRAWING by Michael E. Doyle

--Teaches usage of color and reviews many different color media. We keep this in the office studio and refer back to it quite a bit. Has beautiful color images!

READER’S DIGEST GARDEN DESIGN by Robin Williams

-- this book is full of beautiful and inspiring photos that help you better understand garden elements

If you are interested in going to college for Landscape Architecture or Landscape Design I would highly recommend these books for pre-college research. These books are specifically design theory. If you are interested in getting a degree in this field I would also recommend the book LANDSCAPE DESIGN

ARCHITECTURE THEORY by Michael D. Murphy.

Bon Learning!

Kate