Winner of the George Devine Award for 2002; published to tie in with the opening at the Traverse Theatre at the Edinburgh FestivalAnd that is why we cant have these/Fatally radiant creatures/Walking round the place/Reminding us how clumsy/And mean-spirited/And graceless/And cowardly/And shapeless/And flabby and foul we all are.In a drowned world - how far will you go to save your own skin? In this vicious tale of love; revolt and beauty; Gary Owen presents a vision of a world divided between citizens and non-citizens; where friends betray one another and where surfaces matter more than love or kinship."A blazing new talent" Guardian"A blast of brilliant theatrical writing straight from the heart of post-modern Wales" Scotsman
2013-06-03 2013-06-25File Name: B00I56GLMC
Review
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful. Despite flaws; this is the best textbook for Healing GardensBy H. DomkeConclusion:Despite its flaws; it is probably the best textbook available on Healing Gardens.Pros:Clear advice to help landscape architects design healing gardens.A comprehensive discussion of theory.Cons:If you want a picture book; this is not for you.No evidence-based design (because there isnt any)My first impression of this book was not good. I am a visual person and I wanted to see some large full-color pictures of healing gardens. Instead; most of the images were back white; small and of mediocre quality.Many of the images appear to have been taken by amateurs and the inexpensive printing on non-glossy paper did not help.Yes there is a 14-page glossy color insert in the center of the book; but the snapshots shown were tiny; with 3 or 4 clustered on each page. There was no clear connection from the text to these images.Site plans are critical to landscape gardening. There were only 35 site plans in this book of 610 pages and like the photographs; they too were small; typically about 4 x 4-inches each and none were in color.The books subtitle "Therapeutic Benefits..." and the use of Roger Ulrich as the author of Chapter Two suggests that evidence-based design will be central but it seems that there is not much good research to draw from. Ulrich writes "... very little research directly relevant to gardens has used the types of experimental-scientific methods that are considered sound and persuasive...".Instead of evidence we have to consider the advice of experts and certainly the two main authors: Clarie Cooper Marcus and Marni Barnes are experts. They also happen to be very good writers. They have clear suggestions for a wide range of healing gardens. They have separate chapters focusing on: * Acute Care Hospitals * Psychiatric Hospitals * Childrens Hospitals * Nursing Homes * Hospices * Alzheimers FacilitiesChapter 11 is called "Getting it Done" and it offers practical advice based on several case studies. It discusses funding and implementation in ways that would be very useful to someone who was meeting with resistance from the hospital administration.At the end of every chapter there are several pages of references. For those in an academic setting these would be useful.I might have missed it; but one thing I did not find in the book was: how to deal with gardens when plants are dormant. The two main authors are from the Bay area where the growing season is year-round. However; much of the rest of the planet has distinct seasons. Is it really "healing" to look out into a garden devoid of vegetation for several months a year?16 of 16 people found the following review helpful. Essential Resource for the Healing Garden DesignerBy A CustomerBeautiful organization; research examples to support common-sense recommendations; case studies with pictures; this superb book is the first stop for the healing garden designer. The case studies and design recommendations are grouped by health care setting; which makes the reading more focused. By far the best professional text on the topic.6 of 17 people found the following review helpful. Aplicaciones para la saludBy A CustomerCreo que es un buen punto de partida para comenzar a incluir en el disentilde;o del entorno y el paisaje pautas que incluyan un beneficio directo en la salud de quienes lo contemplan.