‘Luciano makes gardens that last and that can be enjoyed over a whole lifetime. Beyond the design, his commitment to the art of creating something special is a consistent part of everything he does.’ Sir Paul Smith

Luciano Giubbilei is renowned for his award-winning gardens at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and for his beautiful and serene garden designs for private houses throughout the world. Despite his considerable success, 2011 saw Giubbilei searching for a challenge that would enrich his knowledge and take his work to a different level. That challenge lay in the form of the famous garden of Great Dixter in East Sussex.

Since 2012, Giubbilei has been working on an experimental flower bed at Great Dixter, in close collaboration with the head gardener, Fergus Garrett. As Giubbilei reveals in the first part of this beautiful and deeply personal book, the experience of being a contemporary garden designer in a historic garden has enabled his style to develop in unforeseen ways.

In The Art of Making Gardens, Giubbilei describes the enlightening effects of working at Great Dixter, and he provides fascinating insights into how his philosophy has evolved. The key themes of water, colour and texture are then explored with specific reference to Giubbilei’s gardens for the Chelsea Flower Show in 2014 (which won Best in Show) and the Venice Biennale in 2015. The third section of the book discusses the role which craftsmanship continues to play in Giubbilei’s garden designs.

Featuring contributions from the architect John Pawson, the artist Guillem Nadal and the sculptor Ursula von Rydingsvard, as well as plant lists and specially commissioned photography by Andrew Montgomery, The Art of Making Gardens will appeal to anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the creative process behind making a garden.

Luciano Giubbilei established his garden design practice in London in 1997. He has won three gold medals and the Best in Show award at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, and his first book, The Gardens of Luciano Giubbilei was published by Merrell in 2010. Luciano Giubbilei is delighted to donate all his profits from sales of this book to the Great Dixter Charitable Trust, to support the estate and further its work in training and mentoring young gardeners.

Sir Paul Smith is known worldwide for producing classic, traditionally inspired clothes with a touch of humour.

Fergus Garrett is head gardener at Great Dixter, East Sussex, the famous garden of the late Christopher Lloyd.