Secret Gardens of Hollywood: And Other Private Oases in Los Angeles [Hardcover]

Adele Cygelman (Author), Erica Lennard (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 13, 2003

This book offers a peek into the most beautiful private gardens of Los Angeles, one of the most verdant places on earth. Life here is meant to be lived outdoors and extravagantly, and these gardens reflect the town's larger-than-life personalities who take pride in their extraordinary garden sanctuaries.

The sunny, warm climate in L.A. allows garden designers to unleash their most creative gardening fantasies, using plants collected from all over the world. The twenty-five gardens in the book illustrate the remarkable range of styles in the area, from Joni Mitchell's whimsical Bel-Air garden retreat to a garden of rare succulent plants at Jack LaLanne's former residence to Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen's Southern-style country hideaway.

Featuring all-new photographs by Erica Lennard, coauthor of the bestselling book The Art of Doing Nothing, this escape book is sure to appeal to gardeners and star-gazers alike.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

With Hollywood mansions nearly as fabled as their inhabitants, it's not surprising that many of the homes lay claim to some of the country's most fanciful gardens. For one, there's California's balmy climate, perfect for growing calla lilies, wisteria, cactus, jasmine, avocado trees and gardenias. Second, what better place to find someone to create a garden than a region jam-packed with people who are experts on transforming back lots into everything from snowy New England towns to tropical beaches? Lennard and Cygelman divide their book by garden theme, including Mediterranean, romantic, exotic and country. They take readers through 25 gardens, including Mary Steenburgen and Ted Danson's water lily-filled yard; Judy Horton's shady front walkway; and Keith and Keri Addis's tightly clipped box hedges. If you can't have the backyard of a star, you might as well live vicariously through these lush photographs.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Erica Lennard is the photographer of the bestselling books The Art of Doing Nothing and The Art of Imperfection. Her other books include Gardens by the Sea and Artists' Gardens.

Adele Cygelman is a freelance writer specializing in interior design and architecture. Her book Palm Springs Modern was published by Rizzoli in 1999.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Universe (September 13, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0789308819
• ISBN-13: 978-0789308818
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 1.1 x 9.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #95,089 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful and exotic, February 16, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Secret Gardens of Hollywood: And Other Private Oases in Los Angeles (Hardcover)

It is not often that one sees a beautiful book with such a varied array of garden designs and plant material. Of course, it is southern california where so many plant types can grow. L.A. is the perfect place to choose to illustrate how many things a garden can be. The gardens chosen range from the eclectic, to the architectural and come in many sizes. This is not a book that only heralds huge estates that are for most of us to enjoy only within the pages of a book. Rather, this book shows us intimate spaces that inform what we also may do with our private spaces. The writing does not describe the plant material or process so do not think of this as a 'how to' book. This book is a visual study and can inform the gardeners sense of making space and style. Take it in with your eyes.

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WOW, December 2, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Secret Gardens of Hollywood: And Other Private Oases in Los Angeles (Hardcover)

Do you want to get back to the garden??Joni Mitchell's,
Ted Dansen and Mary Steenburgen's, Director Nancy Meyers or Roland Emmerich's and all sorts of other Hollywood
Luminaries under the eye of Photographer Erica Lennard,
give us a lush voyage around the world in our favorite fantasy land, it is rare for one garden book to have such ,variety and give us so many ideas not to mention satisfy our curiosity.

5.0 out of 5 stars Written review, October 28, 2011

By 

L.A.L.A. - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Secret Gardens of Hollywood: And Other Private Oases in Los Angeles (Hardcover)

This is an enjoyable and colorful look at gardens and
other private spaces around the Los Angeles area.
These are private homes and would not generally be
available to people to view and explore; but through
these pages, everyone who enjoys gardens can experience
their beauty and serenity.
This is a book I can turn to again and again and find
something new to see and try in my own small "oasis".