A world of gardens - John Dixon Hunt

A Japanese garden is immediately distinct to the eye from the
traditional gardens of an English manor house, just as the manicured
topiaries of Versailles contrast with the sharp cacti of the American
Southwest. Though gardening is beloved the world over, the style of
gardens themselves varies from region to region, determined as much by
culture as climate.In this series of illustrated essays, John Dixon
Hunt takes us on a world tour of different periods in the making of
gardens.

Hunt shows here how cultural assumptions and local geography have
shaped gardens and their meaning. He explores our continuing responses
to land and reworkings of the natural world, encompassing a broad range
of gardens, from ancient Roman times to early Islamic and Mughal
gardens, from Chinese and Japanese gardens to the invention of the
public park and modern landscape architecture. A World of Gardens
looks at key chapters in garden history, reviewing their significance
past and present and tracing the recurrence of different themes and
motifs in the design and reception of gardens throughout the world.

A World of Gardens celebrates the idea that similar
experiences of gardens can be found in many different times and places,
including sacred landscapes, scientific gardens, urban gardens, secluded
gardens, and symbolic gardens. Featuring two hundred images, this book
is a treasure trove of ideas and inspiration, whether your garden is a
window box, a secluded backyard, or a daydream.