Editorial Reviews
Book Description
Versailles, Nymphenburg, Hampton Court, Schonbrunn, Het Loo--some of the most famous gardens in history were created by European royalty during the last three hundred years. This fascinating and wide-ranging network of historically influential, recently restored, and contemporary gardens from Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Austria, Belgium, Russia, Sweden, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Poland, Denmark, and Spain is collected for the first time in Royal Gardens of Europe. A lavishly illustrated volume, it includes not only well-known gardens such as Charlottenburg and Peterhof, much admired for their splendor, but also lesser-known landscapes created by royalty in recent decades--gardens that are just as impressive as their predecessors, but that set out to create intimacy rather than extravagant display.
Among the royal patrons responsible for these impressive gardens were distinguished horticulturalists and botanists, as well as those who might now be regarded simply as extravagant egotists. At the height of their power, they had the wealth and influence to ensure that their gardens were unsurpassed, employing the best architects and craftsmen and dictating gardening trends. Combining historical anecdote, personal histories, and a wealth of horticultural information, leading garden historian George Plumptre considers the richest single vein in European gardening history, demonstrating why royal gardens will continue to influence and inspire well into the future.
About the Author
George Plumptre, an author, journalist, and lecturer, is widely acknowledged as an international authority on gardens and gardening. He has spent many years working in leading art auction houses, including Sotheby's, where he was editor of the company's magazine, Preview, a director at the London office, and head of the South African office. Over the past twenty years he has written a number of gardening books, including Royal Gardens, Collins Book of British Gardens, The Latest Country Gardens, Garden Ornament, The Water Garden, The Garden Makers, Great Gardens Great Designers, and Classic Planting; his latest is a biography of Capability Brown. He has also served as gardening correspondent for The Times and has contributed articles to a variety of publications, including Country Life, Homes & Gardens, The Daily Telegraph, Architectural Digest, and House & Garden (South Africa). He lectures on a wide range of garden subjects in Britain, the United States, and South Africa.
Royal Gardens of Europe,George Plumptre,Monacelli,1580931650,Garden Design,Gardening,Gardening / Horticulture,Gardening/Plants,Landscape Architecture And Design,Regional - General,Gardening / Regional
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