Paradise Gardens

'Lavish ... a celebration of the history and enduring romance of Islamic gardens' Washington Post

As seen on the highly acclaimed BBC2 series Monty Don's Paradise Gardens, a glorious celebration of the richness of Islamic culture through some of the most beautiful gardens on earth.

In the Islamic tradition, a garden with its central elements of water, the scent of fruit trees, and places for rest and reflection, celebrate heaven on earth. Paradise gardens play a central role in everyday life in the Islamic world, yet little is known about them. Monty Don and acclaimed photographer, Derry Moore, set off on a journey to find out more about the principles and immersive delights of paradise gardens and how a very different culture and climate has influenced garden design round the world.

Their journey covers twenty-nine gardens from the Real Alcazar and the Alhambra in Spain, and Le Jardin Majorelle in Morocco, to Highgrove and a Mughal garden in Bradford in England. There are some spectacular and rarely seen examples such as Pasargadae and the Maidan in Isfahan, Iran, the birthplace of paradise gardens, as well as the more renowned examples such as Turkey's Topkapi Palace and the Amber Palace and Taj Mahal in India.

'A garden, green and filled with water is heaven on earth - it is paradise.' Monty Don

ALSO BY MONTY DON & DERRY MOORE
JAPANESE GARDENS: A JOURNEY

An exploration of the exquisite beauty and fascinating history of the most beautiful and famous gardens across Japan, from Kenrok-en to the Zen gardens of Tokyo.

'A fabulous, bonsai-filled book' Daily Mail

Review: Lavish . . . From the fountains of the Alhambra to the riverbanks along the Taj Mahal, the book is a celebration of the history and enduring romance of Islamic gardens . . . gorgeous * Washington Post *
The discoveries he makes and documents in this book are simply breathtaking * Love it! *
It's sun-filled escapism, gloriously illustrated with photography by Derry Moore, capturing the legacy, the beauty, the shadows, the shimmering heat and the continued human enjoyment of such places * Country Life *
Evocative * Gardens Illustrated *
Don feels that understanding these paradise gardens has made him a better gardener, and possibly a better person. One could not wish for a better guide to them. He has great powers of description * World of Interiors *
Don's precision of thought and gentlemanly infectious enthusiasm shines throughout this book * Hortus *
This book is lavish, picture-led and should set us thinking about the stories our own gardens are trying to tell. * Quilter Cheviot Investor Management *
Lavish . . . From the fountains of the Alhambra to the riverbanks along the Taj Mahal, the book is a celebration of the history and enduring romance of Islamic gardens . . . gorgeous * Washington Post *