Book Review: Brilliant and Wild – A Garden from Scratch in a Year

When I read of the recent publication of Brilliant and Wild I did not hesitate to order a copy as it seemed to resonate with my interest in the wildlife-friendly new perennial movement. The author, former primary school teacher Lucy Bellamy, trained at the Chelsea Physic Garden and with the RHS and worked as a freelance garden journalist writing for The Guardian, The Times and Modern Garden amongst others before becoming the editor of Gardens Illustrated magazine in March 2017.

The back cover of the book makes a bold and compelling claim. “From back-of-an-envelope plan to flower-filled paradise – Brilliant and Wild: A Garden from Scratch in a Year gives even the most inexperienced gardener the chance to create a beautiful and wildlife-friendly space – from nothing – in just twelve months.” With this in mind I dived straight into the book and was immediately impressed with its clear layout, generously supplemented with beautiful photographs by James Ingram.

The introduction is poetic in the way that it paints an image in the reader’s mind of the garden that awaits them if they follow the philosophy and guidance set out within the pages of the book. “A brilliant and wild garden is never still. It trumpets a fanfare for every season and celebrates every kind of weather. Shoots shoot, blooms burst, seeds embellish, frost gilds.”

Published: 26th March 2018