Persian Gardens & Garden Pavilions

Book excerpt: This Persian gardening book showcases classic gardens and pavilions and presents gardening advice for the aspiring amateur landscaper looking to add an Eastern flair to his or her yard. The garden has always had a special meaning for Persian (Iran). The Persian garden, with its flowing pools, fountains, waterways, rows of tall trees, rich arrays of fruit trees and flowers, and cool pavilions, has represented an image of paradise. Persian Gardens & Garden Pavilions is both a comprehensive survey and an appreciation of this Persian tradition of gardens and garden pavilions. The text traces the historical development of Persian gardens, describes their basic features, presents existing examples, and discusses the literature and tradition behind them. The 119 illustrations include detailed plans and photographs of surviving gardens and their pavilions made on the spot, as well as a comprehensive collection of paintings, lithographs, and drawings of the nineteenth century executed both by Persian artists and by European travelers and emissaries of the period. The author points out, the gardeners who read this book should come across many details and ideas that can be incorporated into their own kinds of gardens.