My Kind of Garden summarises this philosophy of garden design, which was nothing if not forthright. It guides the reader through the gardens that influenced the young Hicks, from Villandry in France to Lutyens' Moghul Garden in New Delhi; and chronicles the outstanding gardens around the globe that he so much admired, from Europe to the United States, Australia and South Africa.This beautifully illustrated book also reveals the genesis of David Hicks' own garden at The Grove in Oxfordshire, his family home where, in a four-acre plot, he created a series of ten 'outdoor rooms' with hornbeam 'walls' and linked by 'corridors'. Finally, we see the gardens that he designed himself, both in England and abroad.

 David Hicks' international reputation was built on his talents as an interior designer but, from his childhood on, gardening had always been an underlying passion. In the latter part of his life he devoted his attention more and more to gardens, designing both for himself and for others around the world.

 His starting point was always the view of the garden from the main rooms of the house: the garden was to be first and foremost a continuation of the interior design. As he himself described it, ‘My approach and appreciation of gardening with straight lines, rather than cultivated "informality", is very personal. It is perhaps because so much of my working life has been spent with houses and interiors that I tend to pay particular attention to the way gardens relate to houses.’

 My Kind of Garden summarises this philosophy of garden design, which was nothing if not forthright. It guides the reader through the gardens that influenced the young Hicks, from Villandry in France to Lutyens' Moghul Garden in New Delhi; and chronicles the outstanding gardens around the globe that he so much admired, from Europe to the United States, Australia and South Africa.This beautifully illustrated book also reveals the genesis of David Hicks' own garden at The Grove in Oxfordshire, his family home where, in a four-acre plot, he created a series of ten 'outdoor rooms' with hornbeam 'walls' and linked by 'corridors'. Finally, we see the gardens that he designed himself, both in England and abroad.

 The gardens have all been stunningly photographed in full colour for this book by the acclaimed international garden photographer, Dana Hyde.

 Sadly David Hicks did not live to see My Kind of Garden published: he died while the book was still in preparation.Nonetheless his stamp is imprinted firmly on every line and in every picture and this book provides a fitting tribute to an inimitable and original garden designer.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

FOREWORD, H.R.H. THE PRINCE OF WALES

A GARDENING CHILDHOOD

INFLUENCES AND INSPIRATIONS

  Italian Gardens: Villa Farnese, Villa Lante, Villa Gamberaia - Villandry -

  Chateau de Brecy - Het LoG Palace - Chiswick House - Bagatelle -

  Villa Vizcaya - Hestercombe - The Moghul Garden - Hidcote Manor -

  Longleat House - Ditchley Park - La Chevre d'Or - The Frick Collection -

  Essex House - The Hunting Lodge - Badminton House -

  Haseley Court and Coach House

THE GROVE: BECOMING A GARDENER

GARDENS I ADMIRE

  Underwood Hall - Barnards - Bledlow Manor House - Easton Grey -

  Barnsley House - Hatfield House - The Rectory - Sudborough Old Rectory -

  Langford Old School House - Buckingham Palace - Crichel - Parson's Piece -

  Rainthorpe Hall - Fort Belvedere - Rofford Manor - Ashton Wold -

  Easton Neston - Le Clos Fiorentina - Le Petit Fontanille - Chemin du Moulin -

  Palais Seteiz - Vila Bramao - Foxhall Road - Old Westbury - First Neck Lane -

  Bass Garden - Filoli - Mayfair - 19 Star Island - White Wood - Gunston Hall -

  Gin Lane - Templeton - Brenthurst - Rustenberg - Noordhoek - Bantry Steps -

  Broadlands - New Beach Road - Bolobek - Cruden Farm - Mount Macedon -

  Brighton - Green Oakes Avenue - Pibrac Avenue - Woollahra - Goddfrey House

DICTATION AND VARIETY: MY OWN WORK AS a GARDEN DESIGNER

  Harewood House - Salters' Hall - West Wycombe Park - Deene Park

FOREIGN CLIMES: GARDEN DESIGNING ABROAD

  Vila Verde - Riversfield Farm - Stellenberg- Hyde Park - El Ingenio

FURNISHING k GARDEN

  Planning- Hatred, Passion and Tolerance - Boundaries - Underfoot -

  Green Architecture - Textures - Water Features - Structures and Pavilions -

  Garden Furniture - Garden Ornaments

THE DEMISE OF DAVID HICKS

INDEX