Gardens by the Sea

How fascinating it is to travel along seaside from Malibu to Saint Tropez, from Normandy to Portugal, from Big Sur to Corsica, reading the history of each dream finalized with passion and imagination: This is real art!

The ultimate coffee-table fantasy book, inviting the reader to explore and admire collectors' gardens, pleasure gardens, and contemporary gardens in the U.S., Europe, and along the shores of the Mediterranean. For each, photographs complement the discussion of siting, hardscape, plantings, and evolution of each exceptionally lovely garden. Challenges of the sites and efforts to meet these challenges are given ample treatment. There is a short list of gardens to visit, and a helpful index, but the power to enthrall that this book offers comes primarily from the observations and reflections of the owner/residents of these stunning places.