Book Review: Amazing Gardens of the World: Spectacular Classic and Contemporary Gardens by Vivienne Hambly

Pros: lots of gorgeous photos, showcases a large number of gardens

Cons:

This is a gorgeous book. The photos are large and plentiful, with a wide variety of shots. The book covers gardens from around the globe with chapters on Europe, Africa and the Middle East, Asia, Australasia and the Pacific, and North and South America. Each chapter and the book itself get a single page introduction.

Most gardens get 1-2 photos, with a few getting as many as 7. Each garden has a short description explaining when it was planted/cultivated and, if known, who designed it.

The chapter on Africa and the Middle East is quite short, as there apparently aren’t that many large scale ornamental gardens there. But the photos of the gardens included are magnificent.

I got a digital copy, so I can’t judge the paper quality.

If you like gardens or need a book to help calm your mind with beautiful imagery, this is a good choice.

Out April 12th.