Neil's working life was spent as an industrial chemist and he enjoyed a variety of other interests, yet he's always been particularly fascinated by the ingenuity and brilliance of humans over history to develop resources and shape them to our own needs, be it for great good or to terrible ends, and sometimes for both, as accepted wisdom and circumstances have often changed over time.

The peace and reflective calm of Japanese gardens and gardening style is admired across the world, but what are the elements that contribute to this style, why do they feature and how are they used and maintained? Neil has spent many years absorbing the ethos of Japanese gardens, and with the aid of numerous photographs taken in Japan and the UK, covers various types of Japanese garden and garden features, how best to approach an understanding of them and how they can provide inspiration for garden design here in Britain.