Photographic Garden History [Paperback]

Roger Phillips (Author), Nicky Foy (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1997

This reference contains over 900 photographs illustrating the gardens of the world and the developments in garden history. It ranges from the early Roman peristyle gardens as seen at Pompeii to the French Formal styles of Versailles to native plant gardens in the New World of Australia and North America. The book also contains a large collection of Chinese and Japanese gardens and many of the most influential and well-known gardens such as Sissinghurst, Giverny and Hidcote. Many more gardens are visited and their significance in garden history explained. Interspersed throughout are spreads on specific aspects of gardening such as garden sculpture, fountains, furniture, topiary, and water gardens.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The authors of this monumental work have attempted nothing less than a one-volume visual history of world gardening, from Babylon to Bi Shu Zhan Zhuang, with many fascinating digressions in between. The several hundred beautiful color photographs are accompanied by long, authoritative captions, while the chronological unfolding of Western gardening is interleaved with sections on Chinese and Japanese gardens, "Borrowed Landscapes," and other cross-cultural themes. The result is not just a summation of gardening through the ages but a complex and involving examination of the ways in which humans have transformed their landscapes for pleasure and utility. The book can be leafed through casually many times or read as a narrative. It is probably unmatched as a single-volume visual history. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

These often brilliant little photographic essays, which touch on everything from grottoes to water staircases, follies to parterres, are the best parts of this odd volume, underscoring the power of a few simple landscape ideas to endure across time and culture. -- The New York Times Book Review, Michael Pollan --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Macmillan London (November 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0333711017
• ISBN-13: 978-0333711019
• Product Dimensions: 11.5 x 8.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,891,092 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely Smashing Gardens., November 13, 2000

By 

Pipinz (Phoeniz, AZ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Photographic Garden History (Hardcover)

The images are stunning, and the book is jammed packed with them. The dialogue for all these gardens and places, is surprisingly an interesting read as well. Truly a pleasure to look through...