France in Bloom

From the verdant farmlands of Normandy to the tropical paradise of the Mediterranean coast, or from the rolling fields of poppies in Provence to the azalea bushes of the Loire Valley, gardens abound in France. Featuring the full range of garden design styles?traditional French, English, Italian, and Japanese; botanical or romantic; rock or cactus; country or contemporary?this unique tour of France through forty-four private gardens draws upon the country’s extraordinarily rich biodiversity and offers manifold visual inspiration for the home gardener. With their singular passion, the home gardener featured here share tips and visual inspiration?from the post-impressionist painter who created his own Giverny-inspired water lily garden to the couple who transformed an abandoned seventeenth-century farm into a garden paradise with regal topiaries. A medieval garden still flourishes with medicinal, aromatic, and tinctorial plants. Wisteria-laden archways add romance while French boxwood plantings add charm with formal symmetry. The incredible diversity of plants that thrive in France? honeysuckle to aloe, peonies to irises, maples to cedars, wild herbs to cacti, dahlias to rhododendrons, hydrangeas to roses?offer inspiration for gardeners everywhere. The book is completed with a list of addresses for organizing a visit to the featured gardens.