Alhambra: A Moorish Paradise (Small Books of Great Gardens)
These four exquisite books launch a new series profiling famous gardens, including the Islamic water gardens of Spain's Alhambra; Ninfa, a romantic garden laid out in the ruins of a medieval village 45 miles southeast of Rome; the tropical Moroccan gardens of Majorelle, laid out in the 1920s by French artist Louis Majorelle and now owned by Yves St. Laurent and partner Berg?; and the fairy-tale setting of Apremont, in which a towered castle rises over a flower-filled medieval village on the bank of the Allier River. Each of these little books (6" x 9") relates the history of the region and garden spot and the construction of the garden and includes over 100 color photographs, many double- page spreads. The stunning photography is by noted garden photographer de Virieu, the texts by individuals who know and love the featured garden. All the gardens are open to the public, and each book contains visitor information and garden layouts. Despite a few flaws (the small print in the captions is difficult to read, and Alhambra had a messy word-processing mix-up that wasn't caught), these breathtakingly lovely books make a wonderful introduction for anyone who plans to visit these gardens. Highly recommended for garden or travel collections.ACarol Cubberley, Univ. of Southern Mississippi, HattiesburgCopyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.