Gardens in Detail: 100 Contemporary Designs

Reuss highlights the full range of gardening styles, themes, and other possibilities in a stunning book that is encyclopedic in scope. She includes, for example, chapters on the garden as art; gardens around the world; urban gardens; and garden composition. The book simultaneously offers intimacy of detail through its 500-plus illustrations and color photos. These, along with the layout and organization, convey a feeling of welcome rather than overwhelming the reader. Creating a garden theme such as French New Baroque seems as much a possibility even for amateur gardeners as does Middle East Contemporary or English Arts & Crafts. All types of gardens are explained and dissected, and Reuss highlights key garden design principles (unity, simplicity, balance, and proportion, among others), giving readers a vantage point from which to see the architecture of the garden and to understand design choices. The book is a valuable resource for any gardener and an essential tool for the landscape designer. (Sept.)