The New Ornamental Garden, CSIRO Publishing (2011).


In this book I encourage Australian gardeners to break free of British paradigms and find a new way forward. I argue for a climate-based approach to plant selection and garden design, helping gardeners to reappraise their climate, experiment with a new palette of plants and question received wisdoms about what makes a garden ‘beautiful’. This book  contains an index of reliable plants for (southern) Australian gardens based on my own experience as a professional gardener.


To purchase this book online click here.

‘... a wealth of practical knowledge that will impress both the novice and the professional gardener... Simon challenges much that is seen as sacrosanct in the gardening world... a must read for Australian gardeners, and you’ll enjoy the pictures as well.’ Stephen Ryan

Heirloom Vegetables: A guide to their history and varieties. Lantern Books (2014).


This book is a celebration of the beauty and diversity of heirloom vegetables. It tells the stories of where humans and vegetables have been together, and where we might go in the future.  It paints portraits of vegetables within their broader plant families and tells their individual histories. In the final chapter I share some of my tips on how to grow heirloom vegetables, based on my experience as a professional gardener.  



Unfortunately, this book is now out of print.