Product Description

"Consult the genius of the place in all," Alexander Pope famously wrote, advocating gardens that are in harmony with the landscape rather than imposed upon it. Gardens in the Spirit of Place takes us on an insider's tour of some of the most beautiful examples of this philosophy, "reflective gardens" that celebrate their regional origins above all. Fourteen gardens across the United States are profiled in this stunning book, which features text by renowned garden writer Page Dickey and more than 150 sumptuous photographs by John M. Hall.

Whether it's an eastern woodland garden on Mount Desert Island, Maine, a Wisconsin farmland garden on Lake Pewaukee, or a garden planted in gravel in Palo Alto, California, each garden presented here is a sensitive and original response to its surroundings. For those who want to make their own regional gardens, the book is full of new ideas and inspiration. At a time of tremendous interest in all things local and native, this collection of gardens, formed as much by their environments as by their creators, will have enormous appeal.

Gorgeous color photography
Full of ideas for those seeking inspiration for their gardens
Locations all across the nation including Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Delaware, Virginia, South Carolina, Wisconsin, Texas, California, and Washington
Features a wide variety of gardens, from farmland to desert

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #663381 in Books
• Published on: 2005-10-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 192 pages

About the Author
Garden writer Page Dickey's many books include Inside and Out: Relating Garden to House, Dogs in Their Gardens, and Cats in Their Gardens (all STC), as well as the award-winning Breaking Ground. She also lectures widely and is a contributor to House & Garden and House Beautiful. Dickey lives in North Salem, New York.

Wayne Winterrowd, an eminent horticulturist and garden writer, is the author of the recently published Annuals and Tender Plants for North American Gardens. He is also a partner in North Hill Associates, a garden design firm. He lives in Readsboro, Vermont.

John M. Hall's photographs have appeared in House Beautiful, Elle Décor, Interior Design, Architectural Digest, Nest, and the New York Times Magazine. They are also featured in many books, including Designing Women: Interiors by Leading Style Makers (STC).

Customer Reviews

Looking and Listening to Nature: The Essence of Fine Gardens
Page Dickey is one of our finer writers and knowledgeable experts on gardening and has once again produced a book with the able assistance of nature photographer John M. Hall that becomes an instant classic. For all the beautiful garden books that fill the shelves of our bookstores and homes, few begin with the concept of making the natural setting of the space where people elect to create a garden the primary consideration.

After a beautifully written and informative foreword by Wayne Winterrowd, Dickey crosses the country, pausing in various differing locales to interview and photograph significant gardens from Maine to Massachusetts, New York, Delaware, Virginia, South Carolina, Wisconsin, Texas, California, and Washington, selecting gardens that varying from arid spaces to waterways. At each of the fourteen gardens we are given background as to the types of soil, natural vegetation, moods of the area, history, and the final creative masterpiece gardens that have been created from all of this information.

The result is a beautifully designed, written, photographed and produced book that deserves a place in the libraries of everyone who loves gardening - and the environment! Highly recommended. Grady Harp, March 07

Another wonderful garden book from Page Dickey
Ms. Dickey has written wonderful garden books in the past - Breaking Ground, Inside Out and a Duck Hill Journal, to name a few. Gardens in the Spirit of Place is another winner. She has a great eye for the beautiful and idiosyncratic, and is an absolutely terrific writer. An inspiring collection of unique gardens that embody their varying surroundings.

mistakes are significant
The correct names of the plants and professionals under discussion do
not go out of style. This book falls short on accuracy. Yes there are pretty photos, but not enough hard information. Panicum virgatum (switchgrass) is a staple of prairie gardens. I see it every day. It does not look like this. (I wonder if it's a Calamagrostis?) If you're looking for Neil Diboll's nursery , use this spelling and Google will help you. These were just two of the simple errors I noticed. It does tend to take pleasure out of reading a book in this genre when one can't trust the
information.
Ken Druse' much earlier book, The Natural Habitat Garden, covers this same topic. The book contains beautiful photos. It's much more helpful. There is accurate, information, written in a readable style that makes the concept of a garden that fits the place come alive.