Nan Fairbrother (1913–1971)

Even before delving into this last book by Nan Fairbrother, the dedication page hints at the circumstances of its making: "to ... my doctors, without whose help this book would not have been written." Fairbrother, who became a qualified landscape architect late in life, died of cancer at the age of 55, not long after penning her classic "New Lives, New Landscapes." This followup, perhaps because it was written during her last two years, reads like advice to younger generations. Published three years after her passing, the book is full of wisdom, much of it common sense, but articulated in a way that is learned yet easy to understand for a wide audience, not just specialists. Although written from a British perspective and with a focus on cities and rural areas in Britain, the lessons she expounds on design and the elements of landscape have broad application, sone of them even many decades later.

"The Nature of Landscape Design" is heavily illustrated, with at least one photo per spread, meaning the book is a fairly quick read. All of the photos are black and white, which may seem odd for a book on landscapes, but Fairbrother argues, correctly I'd say, that a landscape's structure can be registered better without the distraction of flowers and other colors. She was not a fan of photos of gardens that "look depressingly like large salads." Considering her book is more about education than appreciation, the b/w photos and their captions work remarkably well toward her purpose.… (mer)