Diary of an English Garden

For decades, Paul Bangay has looked to the great gardens of England as both touchstone and inspiration - their structure and grandeur shaping his own celebrated work. In this intimate new volume, he finally finds a cottage in the Cotswolds ready for bold reinvention. What follows is the story of a new beginning: reimagining boundaries and axes, planting hedges and perennials, experimenting with structure and softness, and discovering, season by season, what thrives, what falters and what surprises.

Written in diary form, the book captures the daily rhythms of building a garden from scratch. Bangay reflects on the differences between English and Australian light, soil and climate; the discipline of working within centuries-old traditions; and the joy of watching a place evolve. Alongside the garden transformation runs the renovation of the cottage itself and the gradual process of becoming part of village life.

Rich with observation, wit and practical insight, A Diary of an English Garden is a lyrical homage to England's gardening heritage. Beautifully illustrated and exquisitely designed, this is Paul Bangay at his most reflective and most personal: a master gardener returning to the source of his lifelong inspiration.

About the Author

For 30 years Paul Bangay has been designing classic, elegant and simple gardens. Widely regarded as the foremost garden designer in Australia today, Bangay's clients include a roster of the most prominent figures in business and culture. His extensive list of projects span private and public commissions in Australia and New Zealand, as well as further afield in Europe, North America and the West Indies.

Bangay holds a Bachelor of Applied Science (Horticulture) from the University of Melbourne. In 1994 he was granted a Melbourne Arts Centre travelling scholarship to further his study of landscape design in Europe and the Americas.

He won the Mobil Pegasus Award for the best contribution to the Melbourne International Festival of the Arts (1989). In 2001 Bangay was awarded the Centenary Medal for his contribution to public design projects. Bangay's distinctive approach has been featured in countless publications, and he is a sought-after guest on gardening and lifestyle programs. His first book was The Defined Garden in 1996; his most recent one was Big Garden Design in 2024.