Synopses & Reviews
The Mediterranean climate, with its mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers, gave rise to a gardening style that is very much in vogue today. Not only do Mediterranean-style gardens offer gorgeous, fragrant, soothing sanctuaries that are wonderfully easy to maintain, but water-saving planting is environmentally sound and enormously appealing whatever one¹s region or climatic zone. This lush, seductive volume showcases the distinctive beauty of some 25 gardens in France, Italy, Spain, and California that employ drought-tolerant plants such as agaves and other succulents, wisteria, lavenders, geraniums, and even some rosesand design features such as terraces, arbors, hedges, pergolas, topiary, statuary, decorative tile, and terra-cotta containersthat are hallmarks of the sun-drenched garden aesthetic.
Lucinda Lewis¹s 200 color photographs, made especially for this book, take the reader through a variety of private and public gardens, some grand and some intimate, while extended captions provide the practical information that gardeners want to know, as well as design ideas that will help them create their own place of escape or enchantment.
Review
"With Smithen's narration and Lewis' sublime photographs, garden lovers can look forward to enjoying a conceptual journey where the light is piercing and fragrance hangs heavy on the air." Alice Joyce, Booklist
Review
"One word describes this impressive book: gorgeous....a beautiful coffee table book and a terrific gift for your favorite gardener. Pick up a copy and peek at a few of the pages, you will find it hard to put it down."San Bernardino County Sun
About the Author
Lucinda Lewis is a professional photographer based in Los Angeles. Her books include
Abrams Roadside America.
Jan Smithen teaches the art and science of gardening at the Los Angeles County Arboretum. She has led garden tours to England, Italy, and France.