Gardens of Portugal
One glance at the cover lets you know you're in for a treat. The large format with lush, full page photos does justice to these awe-inspiring gardens.    While there seems to be lots of books about French and Italian gardens,the same is by no means true for Portugal. Happily, this delightful book fills that void. Off the beaten track, Portuguese gardens can be enjoyed to the fullest by visitors wishing to avoid the hordes of travelers in other travel hot-spots. This is more than a garden travel book for it presents the fascinating history of the gardens and garden design within the area.Readers will revel in the rare view of paradise offered in these gardens. This title will be enjoyed by arm chair travelers as well as those planning visits to the area.    This showcases a total of 21 memorable gardens, most of which are open to the public. --Bella on LineHow many of you know much about the historic gardens of Portugal? Perhaps you have seen a few at Sintra in its unusually favorable climate for trees and hedging. My mental image of them amounted to a few painted tiles behind stone benches and dazzling bougainvilleas between the gardens and hideous, encroaching modernity. I have been completely wrong but it has taken an excellent new book to open my eyes. As its author, Helena Attlee, aptly observes: "Thousands of visitors are drawn to Portugal each year but few of them visit its gardens. Their loss is your gain."... Her Gardens of Portugal is the essential companion, not least because she gives the addresses of the many good gardens open only by appointment. I hope their owners do not live to regret her generous research.  --Financial TimesAmong color books I admire the research in Helena Atlee's finely produced 'Gardens of Portugal' a revelation to me at $60 and an incitement to several new holidays. --Financial Times