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Throughout history, people in all parts of the world have created gardens. What makes us so passionate about gardens, and what do they represent? This fabulous collection of prose and images explores gardens from many angles, celebrating their sensual, spiritual, aesthetic, social, and even political dimensions. In chapters such as "Shades of Paradise," "Statements and Style," "Gardens for Body and Soul," "Gardeners Rampant," and "Purely for Pleasure," writers from around the world evoke the garden in its many incarnations, sometimes lightheartedly, sometimes wittily, sometimes in regret or sorrow. Whether as a restorative retreat, a way to survive, a social showpiece, a bower filled with ghosts, or simply a lovely excuse to spend time outdoors, The Armchair Book of Gardens portrays the endless variety of ways humans have carved spots for themselves in the natural world. An inspiring array of full-color historical and contemporary images accompanies the text.