This title features inspirational and practical design ideas and techniques using hard landscaping materials. It provides an exploration of contemporary hard landscaping solutions for gardens, courtyards and terraces, using stone, wood, concrete, glass, metals, clay, synthetics and organic materials. It presents a range of stunning creative ideas for flooring, surfaces, screens and boundaries, construction, furniture, containers and sculpture. It illustrates a range of styles and textures to customize your garden so that it meets the practical needs of your lifestyle. This innovative book explores the character of materials available for outdoor construction. The author looks in turn at natural materials such as stone, wood and clay; composites such as concrete, glass and metals; and, new technology synthetics. She also looks at unconventional, less restrictive organic gardens, including untreated twigs and vines. To help you plan your garden from the outset, the book features hard landscaping ideas to appeal to all styles and tastes.With over 300 beautifully evocative photographs and a wealth of suggestions from one of the garden world's leading writers, ''Stone, Wood, Glass & Steel'' is an invaluable sourcebook of cutting edge ideas for modern, low-maintenance gardens.