Paradise Gardens - Landscape Gardening in the Islamic Tradition (Hardcover)

Most sacred texts describe paradise as a garden and the very word derives from the ancient Persian word for garden - pardis. Within the walls of this garden, the abundance of fruit, the colour and scent of flowers, the softness of the ground, the murmur of water and the music of birdsong arouse the senses. Drawing extensively on Arab-Andalusian traditions, garden designers Eric Ossart and Arnaud Maurieres reveal the secrets of creating paradise gardens using contemporary design forms. In this book they take the reader on a voyage of discovery to sources of inspiration in France, Spain, Tunisia, Morocco and Egypt. Through their own creations, they identify the aesthetic elements that give these gardens their power and originality, explaining their techniques and suggesting which plants and planting schemes can be used to create a paradise garden in any climate.