Gardens of Obsession: Eccentric and Extravagant Visions

"A fertility sculpture garden in Bangkok and a topiary cemetery in Ecuador are just two of the astonishing stops on this garden-world romp."--Condé Nast Garden. Magical, mysterious, witty, and bizarre: these 150 gardens from countries as diverse as Britain, the United States, France, Germany, Canada, Belgium, Italy, Mexico, and Australia are true originals. Some take their inspiration from myths and allegories from the ancient world; others grew out of a passion for a single type of plant. Still more reflect high culture, while a number take a joyfully folksy or kitsch approach. A creator's dreams and visions have taken on a new life as a formal Renaissance garden in France, giant wooden hands rising from a small hillside garden in California, and a garden of 1500 roses in Somerset planted in date order of their introduction into western Europe. This collection of gardens--each with its own magic--is a treat for the eye and living proof that fantasies can come true.