The idea of a lush dry garden might feel, to many gardeners in the UK, like an oxymoron. Yet Designing the Lush Dry Garden argues persuasively and beautifully that water frugality and abundance are not mutually exclusive.
Inspired by California’s pioneering Ruth Bancroft Garden – the low-water garden started by the eponymous gardener in 1971, at the age of 63 – this collaborative work offers inspiration and guidance for designing gardens that thrive with minimal water, while retaining all the sensory richness we seek to nurture as gardeners.
Part one of the book sets out the legacy of Bancroft’s work and offers practical design tips and essential plant picks. Part two includes 20 case studies, each a portrait of a real garden. These range from jewel-box courtyards to larger suburban sites, unified by a commitment to low-water planting, biodiversity and climate resilience.
The authors – all experienced garden designers and educators – have picked a selection that demonstrates the spectrum of what a dry garden can be: not simply gravel and succulents, but layered compositions of perennials, shrubs, grasses and trees that move with the wind and hum with life.
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Design principles are backed by sound ecological reasoning, and practical tips are clearly flagged. Where more technical terms are necessary, they’re explained with care.
The images by Caitlin Atkinson capture not just plant details but atmosphere, from the dappling of late-afternoon light through Arbutus trunks to the intricate textures of drought-tolerant groundcovers. Captions are thoughtful, often noting plant varieties, design choices or maintenance insights rather than simply stating what’s in frame. This makes the book a genuine learning tool rather than a coffee-table ornament.
DESIGNING THE LUSH DRY GARDEN: CREATE A CLIMATE-RESILIENT, LOW-WATER PARADISE
by Cricket Riley, Alice Kitajima and Kier Holmes, photographs by Caitlin Atkinson Timber Press, £35 ISBN 978-1643263731
The book doesn’t preach or scold; instead, it entices readers with beauty, then arms them with the knowledge to create their own versions. Riley, Kitajima and Holmes all have strong ties to the Ruth Bancroft Garden as designers, curators and educators, giving them deep practical and aesthetic credibility. It is both an easy, engaging read and a source of useful information for keen and curious gardeners.
From a UK perspective, not all plant choices will translate directly – California’s chaparral is not Cornwall’s coast – but the principles are surprisingly transferable. Gardeners in East Anglia, Kent, the Cotswolds and increasingly even parts of Scotland will recognise the growing need for designs that withstand long dry spells.
Rather than seeing water scarcity as a limitation, the authors frame it as an opportunity for creativity
The book’s emphasis on structural planting, mulching and layering of drought-tolerant species could be adapted here using Mediterranean, South African and native British plants. Imagine the silver foliage of artemisia, the airy grace of Stipa tenuissima, and the pollinator-rich flowers of salvias and echinops, all thriving without additional watering.
The most valuable takeaway for UK gardeners may be the mindset shift it encourages. Rather than seeing water scarcity as a limitation, the authors frame it as an opportunity for creativity – pushing us towards a style that feels both sustainable and contemporary. The advice on grouping plants with similar water needs (even ‘dry’ plants have varied needs), choosing species for year-round structure and embracing looser, more naturalistic planting would suit not just dry climates, but any garden where reducing water use is a priority.
In the face of climate change, gardeners in the UK will increasingly need to reconcile romance with resilience. Designing the Lush Dry Garden shows us that, done well, the two can be one and the same.
This is not a book to skim and shelve, but one to revisit season after season as a source of ideas, and reassurance that experimentation is a good thing.
Reviewer Joe Perkins is an award-winning garden designer working in the UK and abroad.
