Product Description

In this new companion book to The Garden Plants of China, Peter Valder describes more than 200 gardens he has visited in China. He documents temple courtyards and gardens, evocative enclosures of ancient burial grounds and imperial tombs, and public parks, botanical gardens, and arboreta, most of which have sprung up since 1949. Gardens in China is illustrated with more than 500 color photographs, many of them depicting gardens not previously illustrated in any Western publication, as well as reproductions of illustrations of historical interest. With their distinctive characteristics, the gardens of China are among the most fascinating in the world. This book is essential reading for visitors to China with an interest in gardens, garden history, and Chinese culture.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #214255 in Books
• Published on: 2002-07-01
• Original language: English
• Dimensions: 3.89 pounds
• Binding: Hardcover
• 400 pages

From Booklist
As travel to China increases, garden lovers look to specialty tours as a way of experiencing firsthand the unique aesthetic beauty and cultural traditions of Chinese garden design. Now Valder's illuminating compilation of more than 200 gardens promises to provide the ultimate resource for future travelers, who, before embarking on a trip, can study and savor images and information on diverse horticultural realms located throughout China. Repeated visits allowed Valder to photograph extensively, resulting in a lavish record of famed Imperial gardens as well as fascinating examples of lesser-known temples, parks, and botanical arboreta. Journeying far and wide, Valder presents a breathtaking study comprised of articulate narrative, compelling historical reproductions, and up-to-date photographs documenting planting styles and the ongoing renovation of buildings and garden hardscaping. Encompassing a treasury of plant portraits, stunning architectural details, and awe-inspiring vistas, Valder's chosen topic is rendered in such depth as to rouse armchair dreamers and act as a call to action for avid garden trekkers. Alice Joyce
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review
Some people truly amaze me. Peter Vader is one of those people.Richard A. Brown, Pacific Horticulture, Winter 2003 (Pacific Horticulture )

It is useful to find so many wonderful gardens, most of them photographed by the author on his frequent trips to China. Joanne S. Carpender, National Gardener, March 2003 (National Gardener )

An excellent summary of the history of Western experiences in China ... After reading The Gardens of China, I would love to return to that country ... If I do, this book will be my primary guide.Richard A. Brown, Pacific Horticulture, Winter 2003 (Pacific Horticulture )

About the Author
Born in Australia and brought up in the bush, Peter Valder's early interest in the Australian flora was stimulated by local amateur botanists. He went on to become a plant pathologist and mycologist after graduating from the Universities of Sydney and Cambridge. He was pleased to later become involved in the teaching of general botany in addition to his mycological work. Peter has also been an office bearer of the Linnean Society and the Australian Institute of Agricultural Science. Since drifting into the popularizing of Australian botany and horticulture, he has made appearances on radio and television, wrote for magazines, and lectured to organizations concerned with plants and gardens. His interest in gardening has taken him to Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Laos, Burma, and China, from which he has introduced numerous plants suited to the Australian climate. Also, he has visited gardens in Britain, New Zealand, North America, France, Italy, Spain, China, Japan, and Korea, accumulating photographs with which to illustrate his lectures and writings.