Book Review - luxury private gardens

Luxury Private Gardens, Villa d'Este, Gernobbio, Lake Como, Italy, published by teNeuss. Photo ©Roland Bauer

I have commented many times before that I just love browsing through gardening books that take me into wonderful gardens around the world. This armchair ‘visiting’ brings much enjoyment especially when it is impossible or difficult to experience the actual gardens personally due perhaps to distance or time.

Browsing can also stimulate the gardener to want to visit certain gardens and in 'Luxury Private Gardens of the World' the reader will find plenty of stimulation to visit many fabulous gardens throughout the world.

The main strength of this book is its visual impact. The text, which is printed in several languages, is minimal and serves to illustrate each stunning plate, with brief descriptions and introductions to each garden. We explore natural treasures in the private gardens of castles, country estates and on peaceful islands - some of the gardens are familiar, others less so thereby taking us on a voyage of discovery.

The reader can revel in the stunning array of flowers, vistas and enchanting places. All the gardens are in private ownership and the UK is well represented by Holker Hall in Cumbria, Arabella Lennox-Boyd’s delightful Gresgarth Hall, The Trentham Estate, Veddw House Garden and Chenies Manor.

In the introduction to the book, Andrew Pfeiffer comments that when fabulous gardens are stripped down to their bare essentials, “they are like a well-cut couturier’s gown” and it is that which distinguishes one luxury garden from another.

Indeed he should know, the book contains two gardens which he himself designed - each of the gardens featured is detailed in a useful index at the back which gives the name of the designer and the location as well as website details.

A brilliant coffee table book, ‘Luxury Private Gardens’ will make a fantastic gift for a gardening friend but is also one of those books with which you might like to indulge yourself. Edited by Haike Falkenberg the book is published by teNeueus - details from their website www.teneues.com - Or alternatively purchase at Amazon.co.uk price £22.50 (Save 40% off rrp - as going to print!).

Book cover illustration above ©Luxury Private Gardens, Villa d'Este, Gernobbio, Lake Como, Italy, published by teNeuss, www.teneuss.com. Photo ©Roland Bauer, www.fusion-publishing.com