Terrain: The Container Garden Book Creative Designs for Every Season

by Bartley, Melissa; Lehmkuhl, Greg

• ISBN13: 9781648290916
• ISBN10: 1648290914
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2026-05-05
• Publisher: Artisan
• More Book Details
• Purchase Benefits

Summary

Nearly 100 unique, seasonal, stunning container garden designs from the beloved brand Terrain

Every season, Terrain customers flock to their stores for one-of-a-kind container plantings that are at once naturalistic and restrained, unconventional and sophisticated. From tabletop troughs of succulents to stately trees planted in grand urns, each design is unique--and uniquely Terrain. In this book, they’ve distilled the guiding principles behind their approach in dozens of showstopping planters, from ebullient spring bulbs to festive winter evergreens.  

In keeping with their nature-led ethos, they’ve organized the book by season, and each chapter offers specific plant and design ideas that align with the natural beauty and resources of that time of year. Throughout, readers will find practical advice on container silhouettes, materials, drainage, soil mixes and more to support healthy growth. And each vibrant planter is captured in gorgeous original photography that celebrates Terrain’s signature perfectly imperfect style and shows that container gardens belong anywhere, from petite urban patios to sprawling rural backyards.
 

Author Biography

Melissa Bartley is the visual director at Terrain, a home and garden lifestyle brand from the team behind Anthropologie, where she leads the company’s visual identity and creative evolution across all nine locations. Founded on the site of a 100-year-old nursery in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania, Terrain has been featured on Today and CBS’s Sunday Morning as well as in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Vanity Fair, Vogue, Martha Stewart Living Elle Décor, and InStyle. They have published two previous books, Terrain: Ideas and Inspiration for the Home and Garden and Terrain: The Houseplant Book. A driving force behind Terrain since its first store opened in 2008, Melissa brings a background in film production and set design, blending a storyteller’s instinct, a designer’s eye, and a merchant’s strategy into every season she shapes. With family roots in gardening and agriculture, Melissa feels most at home with her hands in the dirt, designing gardens and containers where wildness feels intentional, every season leaves a mark, and bold ideas take root. She shares that spirit with her young son, encouraging a love of nature, creativity, and the simple act of digging in.

 

Greg Lehmkuhl is the creative director of Terrain, where he leads product innovation with a seasonal, globally inspired approach. Growing up in a gardening family, he developed a lifelong love of container gardening, particularly for greening challenging spaces. His passion spans every season, from creating temporary showcases to crafting perennial combinations that evolve beautifully over time.

 

Table of Contents

Introduction  
The Terrain Approach to Container Planting  
SPRING
SUMMER  
AUTUMN  
WINTER 
Container Planting Basics
Resources
Acknowledgments
Photography Credits
Index