Very good. see photos for condition
glimpse behind the walls and gates of London at the hidden landscapes seldom seen by visitors. London is a city of hidden gardens, a place where few ever enjoy the colorful secrets behind the sober townhouse facades that give so little away. But the gardens are there, fascinating in their diversity and infinite in their variety, and beautifully illustrated in the pages of this book. The secret gardens of London that are revealed here range from the large, classical, and formal, with single-color schemes, to tiny gardens that run riot with color of every imaginable hue. There are gardens on roofs and gardens in basements, gardens with watereven gardens on water. There are gardens sheltered by tropical plants or by billowing sails. There are English cottage gardens and modern sculpture gardens. There are gardens created by artists and gardens tended by practical enthusiasts. There are collectors' gardens, passionate plantsmen's gardens, gardens restored, revived, or reclaimed. The gardens portrayed in this intriguing selection of unique placesthanks to the shared dreams of the owners and the ingenuity of the finest designerswill delight and inspire anyone with an interest in gardens, gardening, and private life in London. 160 color illustrations.
From Publishers Weekly
This beautifully shot and well-selected collection of London gardens shows how bleak urban spaces, trashed backyards, derelict barges and soulless rooftops can be transformed by artful landscaping. Majeruss lush images are pleasantly disorientingturning the books pages, readers will feel as if theyve been plunged into unexpected verdant worlds thriving in cramped, industrial zones and in roomier, suburban areas. Clifton-Moggs accompanying prose, however, is sometimes overgrown, perhaps an appropriate accompaniment to the engineered chaos of the English garden, but also typical of the editorial timbre of many of the magazines for which she writes regularly (House & Gardens, Harpers & Queen). Phrases such as "all that can be seen are the green propellers of the banana palm and the flicking tongues of bamboo leaves" can render the text rather amusing. But the volume does succeed in offering gardening enthusiasts a rare peek into the private green spaces of Londoners: most of the gardens represented are off-limits to the public and cant be seen from the street. And though the authors emphasis is squarely on lifestyle and atmosphere, the book does offer anecdotal advice, including tips for creating the illusion of space or cultivating themed gardens (Portuguese and Japanese, for instance). All and all, this book offers a lovely virtual tour for general readers and an inspiration to practicing urban gardeners who possess the patience, tenacity and resourcefulness to better the city behind the scenes.
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About the Author
Caroline Clifton-Mogg is a regular contributor to interior design magazines, including House & Garden, Harpers & Queen and Country Life. Her books include The Curtain Book, Curtains, The Neoclassical Source Book and The Complete Doll's House Source Book. Marianne Majerus has contributed the photography to numerous books on gardens and garden design. She was voted 'Photographer of the Year' by the Garden Writers' Guild in 2002.
