Hidden behind the elegant facades and high walls of Paris are its private gardens. Whether grandiose or miniscule, highly manicured or exuberantly untended, these gardens are a secret treasure seldom seen by the visitor to Paris. This book reveals some 50 gardens, all created with passion by their owners, often in collaboration with well-known landscape designers. Each proprietor discusses the conditions in which the garden was created, the constraints and the problems that were encountered, and explains why the final design and plantings were chosen. The traditional French-style gardens, such as those of Hubert de Givenchy or Pierre Berg , are attached to private town houses, and their designs mirror the elegance and restraint of these classic dwellings. Romantic, picturesque potagers or kitchen gardens belonging to Yves Saint Laurent and others reflect their owners' taste for outdoor living. Tropical gardens with giant ferns and rare flowers, admirably tended oriental gardens, a Russian garden surrounding a little wooden hut, a Japanese garden that encourages meditation - these exotic hideaways allow us to discover other cultures.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Booklist
Hidden behind the elegant facades of Parisian buildings are scores of magical domains, from sophisticated urban sanctuaries to picturesque pocket-size landscapes, and gardens defined by decidedly exotic attributes. Crisscrossing Paris, the authors delve into these private horticultural realms, furnishing descriptive text comprised of historical background, intimate profiles on the gardens' owners, and revealing perspectives on individual garden spaces. The tour includes stopovers at the home of President and Madame Giscard d'Estaing and the Japanese retreat of couturier Kenzo, as well as glimpses of the art nouveau style created by Hector Guimard. Alice Joyce
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Review
By the time you turn the last page, you'll be dialing Air France. -- San Diego Tribune
Glimpse behind city gates to show the greener side of urban life. -- Veranda
Smartly displays the greenery, wrought iron grillwork, brick walkways and blossoms of summer gardens in contemporary Paris. -- San Francisco Chronicle, 12 May 2002 --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
Glimpse behind city gates to show the greener side of urban life. -- Veranda
Smartly displays the greenery, wrought iron grillwork, brick walkways and blossoms of summer gardens in contemporary Paris. -- San Francisco Chronicle, 12 May 2002 --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
A LITTLE DISAPPOINTING,
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This review is from: The Secret Gardens of Paris (Paperback)
I was a little disappointed by "Secret Gardens of Paris". I found the gardens featured in this book to be similar to each other. I was looking for more variations in color and texture. Most of the gardens have very little color. It seems that green and white are the dominant colors. Also, I was hoping to see more architecture than what is shown of the Parisian buildings featured in this book.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Inspiring,
This review is from: The Secret Gardens of Paris (Paperback)
I agree with the review by Marie Antoinette that this book is full of green photos, however, it is what I love about it. I open this book an am instantly renewed by the lush variety of greenery interspersed with bits of color. Being a huge fan of abundant foliage close to the home and literally crawling over structures, it is just what I need particularly during colder months when I am craving greenery. It is a beautifully composed book of personal gardens that will inspire. I give it my highest recommendation and am on the look-out for another hard-copy edition to give as a gift.
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