Garden photographer Lawson and horticultural writer Taylor survey here the design styles and landscape features of notable gardens in present-day England. The first half of their book is essentially a historical overview of English garden design, well illustrated with color photographs of grand estate gardens. The works of Gertrude Jekyll, Vita Sackville-West, and Lawrence Johnston are most prominently featured; however, other important 20th-century designers, such as Geoffrey Jellicoe, are scarcely mentioned. The second half of the book is not historically organized but is instead devoted to a miscellany of garden features (e.g., Water in the Garden, The Rose Garden); in this respect, the work differs from others about English gardens that are purely histories (such as Edward Hyam's The English Garden, 1964). The appendix includes a list of gardens open to the public (with addresses and phone numbers but not hours). Taylor's well-written text contains numerous references to other writings about English garden history, but the author provides no bibliography. Recommended for public libraries.?Brian Lym, Strybing Arboretum Society, San Francisco
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Booklist
A great English garden may be associated with a renowned castle or a picturesque manor house, but the much celebrated team of Lawson and Taylor choose to include all types of private gardens in their stunning new book, which touches on a range of examples of garden designs and principles most successfully carried out. Lawson never fails to delight with photographs of absolutely gorgeous views, be it a tiny roadside cottage garden or the restoration of a revered country estate. And Taylor is surely one of the most erudite of contemporary garden writers. Here she dazzles with descriptions that inform, inspire, and entertain. Culminating the breathtaking tour is a list of addresses for readers planning a visit. Overall, an alluring contribution to gardening literature. Alice Joyce --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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