Gardens by the Sea

D'Arnoux, editor in chief of Architectural Digest (France) and journalist de Laubadere (The Secret Gardens of Paris) team up with photographer Lennard for a fantasy travel assignment-showcasing more than 20 coastal hideaways from Big Sur, California to Cornwall, England to Tunisia. The authors rhapsodize about the dream-like existence of ""life oriented toward the sea,"" and, after paging through glossy photos of lush vegetation, oceanic expanses, and shimmering horizons, torpor may be inevitable. Interviews with architects and owners consider the challenges of building modern homes in age-old settings and the delights of restoring time-worn palaces to their original splendor. Sculptor cum landscape designer Erik Borja discusses the particulars of integrating a Japanese-style garden with the Corsican coastline, from rock formations to pruning techniques. This book will offer inspiration for the seaside homeowner and wistful reverie for the land-locked horticulturist. Over 250 color photographs.