cover image Secret Gardens of London

Secret Gardens of London

Caroline Clifton-Mogg. Thames & Hudson, $45 (176pp) ISBN 978-0-500-51178-7

This beautifully shot and well-selected collection of London gardens shows how bleak urban spaces, trashed backyards, derelict barges and soulless rooftops can be transformed by artful landscaping. Majerus's lush images are pleasantly disorienting--turning the book's pages, readers will feel as if they've been plunged into unexpected verdant worlds thriving in cramped, industrial zones and in roomier, suburban areas. Clifton-Mogg's accompanying prose, however, is sometimes overgrown, perhaps an appropriate accompaniment to the engineered chaos of the English garden, but also typical of the editorial timbre of many of the magazines for which she writes regularly (House & Gardens, Harpers & Queen). Phrases such as""all that can be seen are the green propellers of the banana palm and the flicking tongues of bamboo leaves"" can render the text rather amusing. But the volume does succeed in offering gardening enthusiasts a rare peek into the private green spaces of Londoners: most of the gardens represented are off-limits to the public and can't be seen from the street. And though the author's emphasis is squarely on lifestyle and atmosphere, the book does offer anecdotal advice, including tips for creating the illusion of space or cultivating themed gardens (Portuguese and Japanese, for instance). All and all, this book offers a lovely virtual tour for general readers and an inspiration to practicing urban gardeners who possess the patience, tenacity and resourcefulness to better the city behind the scenes.