Gardens of Illusion

Defy the commonplace and predictable! The playful spirit grows in these beautifully photographed gardens, which delight with droll humor and visual enchantment. The unusual presentation of unique landscapes bypasses ordinary horticultural know-how and conventional design principles; instead it delves into the tradition of garden wit, illusion, and trickery. Best of all, most of these concepts aren't hard to achieve, from the teasing perspective of a trompe l'oeil to a fence brightly decorated with colored bottles. More daring visions appear too, including some amazing statues and ornamentations. One garden even has a bridge with hands flung up under it from the lake below, suggesting either a person emerging--or one drowning! A joy to look at and to read. A Selection of Garden Book Club.