The authors introduce readers to the joys of Mediterranean gardening, featuring twenty-five gardens from France, Italy, Spain, and California that capture the sunny, terraced splendor of this ancient approach to gardening. 10,000 first printing. Imagine journeying to the Mediterranean region, with the scent of crushed thyme underfoot, the silhouettes of Italian cypress trees towering against an azure sky, and structures like rose-draped arbors and stone pavilions providing respite from the afternoon sun. As a style of gardening, Mediterranean landscaping is more popular and widely emulated than ever. By way of illustrating the desirable features associated with the sun-drenched gardenscape, Smithen and Lewis focus on 25 exemplary settings in California, the South of France, Italy, and Spain. Along with widely photographed garden estates of great repute, images of less grand private homes should suggest design ideas for do-it-yourself types. This is a marvelous sourcebook of possibilities for hardscaping, ornamentation, and planting schemes that readers can share with their professional designers or that they themselves can use to create or enhance their gardens. With Smithen's narration and Lewis' sublime photographs, garden lovers can look forward to enjoying a conceptual journey where the light is piercing and fragrance hangs heavy on the air. Alice Joyce Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved Lucinda Lewis is a professional photographer based in Los Angeles. Her books include Abrams' Roadside America. Jan Smithen teaches the art and science of gardening at the Los Angeles County Arboretum. She has led garden tours to England, Italy, and France. Used Book in Good Condition