Price : $27.75

Product Description

Chosen and described by celebrated garden designer Penelope Hobhouse

Features stunning photographs by distinguished garden photographers including Jerry Harpur, Andrew Lawson, Clive Nichols

Published in association with an exhibition at the Chicago Botanic Garden

Great Gardens of the World is a survey of some of the greatest gardens of the world, presented through magnificent photographic images and the descriptions of legendary garden designer and writer Penelope Hobhouse. Here is shown the oases of the Middle East, the gardens of Chinese scholars, Japanese sages and Renaissance humanists, French baroque gardens, the English landscape garden of Capability Brown and his followers. Here too are the gardens of the great modern designers, among them Roberto Burle Marx, Fernando Caruncho, Dan Kiley, John Brookes and James van Sweden.

Penelope Hobhouse is internationally renowned as a gardener, writer and garden designer. The author of many classic works including Colour in your Garden, Garden Style, Penelope Hobhouse On Gardening , and Penelope Hobhouse’s Garden Designs (all published by Frances Lincoln), and Plants in Garden History, The Story of Gardening and Gardens of Persia

Customer Reviews

Review date : 2008-02-23
A wonderful book, with beautiful and inspiring pictures. Always a pleasure to go back again and again at its pages.

Review date : 2007-11-24
Gardens are meant to be paradise on earth. The idea of paradise as a garden has a long history, even before the Garden of Eden was presented in the Bible. What the paradise looks like, there is hardly specific description. The description of the Garden of Eden was not very specific either, yet it gave the garden designer some ideas.

In every culture, garden designers seek paradise through their own creative ways. Penelope Hobhouse, one of the most talented garden writers of our time, started her tour of paradise on earth in Asia: the serene naturalistic gardens and symbolism in China, and the Zen gardens and tea gardens in Japan. She then took us to continental Europe: the hilly regions of Italy where lavish gardens are balanced with the use of axes and symmetry, and gardens in Germany, Netherlands and Russia, as well as the climax of formal gardens, the French gardens.

Penelope Hobhouse’s next stop is England. She discussed in detail the naturalistic Landscape Gardens, the Cottage-style Gardens, and the Eclectic Gardens. She also explored Mediterranean gardens and gardens in America: European influences and naturalistic gardens.

Last but not least, Penelope Hobhouse discuss today’s gardens: water in gardens, gardens and nature, selecting right plants for right sites, reclaiming and revitalizing, and roof gardens, etc.

To Penelope, an ideal garden is "at the balance point between human control and untamed nature."

"Great Gardens of the World: In Search of Paradise" has 240 pages and many beautiful interior color photos. It is a fine garden book that every garden lovers should have.

Gang Chen, Author of "LEED AP Exam Guide" & "Planting Design Illustrated." LEED AP, AIA

Review date : 2006-12-06

The ideal garden we are given to understand is a paradise – "a haven of comfort, abundance, and beauty." Many of us try to achieve that paradigm in our own way, as have countless others before us. Now gathered in one gorgeous volume are the results of those endeavors gleaned from diverse cultures and climes.

We begin our armchair tour with "Gardens Through the Centuries," a journey covering four thousand years beginning with the earliest gardens alive in the deserts of the Middle East. The first Mughal Emperor Babur (1483 – 1530) had a number of gardens including the Garden of Fidelity which was divided into four parts with a central pool.

Of course, the gardens designed in China and Japan expressed a respect for nature, evidenced in vast areas where the placement of each stone had meaning. Places for contemplation, stroll and moss gardens were found in Japan.

For this reader what can compare with the gardens of Italy? Hadrian’s Villa near Tivoli boasts open porticoes, enclosed atriums, fountains, basins, statuary. It is a wonder. La Mortola on the Italian Riviera is a place for dreaming with a steep slope to the sea rich in agaves, aloes, white roses, salvias and citrus trees. A virtual Eden on earth.

Ms. Hobhouse continues our tour with a look at modern garden design as represented by such designers as Roberto Burle Marx, Fernando Caruncho, and Beth Chatto.

"In Search of Paradise" holds 240 pages and 200 illustrations all in glorious color contributed by the world’s foremost garden photographers.

The is a volume to be savored and returned to again and again.

- Gail Cooke

Price : $8.49

Product Description

In this stunning sequel to the tale begun in These Is My Words and continued in the beloved Sarah’s Quilt,pioneer woman Sarah Agnes Prineis nearing bankruptcy. After surviving drought and the rustling of her cattle in winter 1906, Sarah is shocked when her son brings home a bride who was slated to become a nun. Meanwhile, neighbor Udell Hannais pressing for Sarah to marry him. Then astagecoach accident puts Sarah in the path of three strangers,who will forever change her life….

Customer Reviews

Review date : 2008-11-22
The depression continued after Sarah’s Quilt as Sarah’s life seemed to go from bad to worse. As in that book, I felt that the author should have covered a larger time period in this one. Sarah’s continuing on and off again feelings for Udell was puzzling and there were several inconsistencies concerning dates and events. Overall, this was a better book than the 2nd one but not as good as the first one. Although I did feel that the author was just manufacturing unlikely situations to extend the book length.

Review date : 2008-11-11
In 1906 Arizona Territory, forty-six years old twice widowed Sarah Agnes Prine lives with a horde of family members in a house rebuilt by rich ruthless Rudolfo Maldonado; who once worked for her and even proposed though she said no. Meanwhile her neighbor Udell Hanna wants the reluctant Sarah to marry him.

When Sarah rides on her property she comes across a nasty stagecoach accident in which the driver and a passenger died. She takes the three survivors, Miss James, Professor Fairhaven and Professor Osterhaus into her large home until they can continue their journey. Udell shows his love for Hannah when he enrolls her in classes at the university where the professors are teaching. As she enjoys school, someone who she thought was a friend is causing dangerous problems on her ranch.

This engaging historical tale is told in a journal format but contains plenty of action while focusing on the life of Sarah just before statehood. Sarah is a stupendous person dealing with courtships, family feuds, bandits and an unknown deadly stalker. Readers will enjoy this deep look at a pioneer who takes the early steps so that a century later women can claim we’ve come a long way.

Harriet Klausner

Review date : 2008-08-28
Another great novel by Nancy Turner, thoughtfully written. Poignant narrative with just the right amount of humor and insight into turn-of-the-century life in the territories. Bound to be a classic series.

Review date : 2008-07-11
Sarah has so many things to go wrong but she knows how to resolve the problem and keep it all together. Way to go Sarah. Mr. Hanna needs to get it together. He needs to concentrate on Sarah and not on Frances.

Let’s see what happens as I get further into the book.

Review date : 2008-06-05
I have loved the two previous "Sarah" books. Sarah Prine is one of my favorite heroines, full of courage and spunk. Even when she doesn’t know what to do, she does her honest best, which is a quality I admire greatly. However, (don’t read any further unless you have read the book) I think Sarah "sold out" for lack of a better word. Her relations with Udell Hanna were a big disappointment to me. I know she was lonely, but that part of the book didn’t feel like the true Sarah to me. She’s human, as we all are, but I wish she had stayed true to herself. Still, a good story. I would like for Nancy Turner to put a picture of all the characters on her website, if she has any. Especially Jack. He must have been the Tom Selleck of his day!!

Price : $32.95

Features

• Set of 6 Botanic Garden ramekins, 5-ounce capacity
• Hand-painted glazed earthenware
• Bold mix-and-match floral designs with butterfly motifs and distinctive green leaf border
• Safe in freezer, microwave, and dishwasher; oven-safe to 340 degrees F
• Full range of coordinating cookware and tableware available

Product Description

This item is sold in sets of 6. Ramekins are 5 ounce stacking. Set of six. Includes one each of the following motifs: Speedwell, Pimpernel, Rhododendron, Yellow Jasmine, Heartsease, Forget-Me-Not. Designed by Susan Williams-Ellis, Botanic Garden is a stupendous and innovative pattern. The famous Botanic Garden pattern was inspired by an antique horticulture book. About thirty different flowers are strewn across the collection. The whole mix and match pattern is unified by the style of drawing, the flitting of butterflies and the distinctive leaf borders. Portmeirion bakeware/ovenware is made from a strong, white stoneware which is resistant to temperature changes and is ovenproof to 200 degrees Celcius/390 degrees Farenheit. This ware is microwave, disherwasher and freezer safe. The ovenware is distinguished by a ribbed, unglazed finish on the bottom, which makes it less slippery. Because the stoneware is quite solid and non-porous, the bottom will clean easily with cleaner or non-metallic scourer. Made for day-to-day use.

Customer Reviews

Review date : 2008-11-03
We’ve been collecting Botanic Garden by Portmeirion for a little over a year now. We chose this product line because the majority of the pieces are made in Britain. We are also very careful to avoid those pieces in the collection that are made in China. Rest assured, these ramekins have "Made in Britain" printed clearly on the bottom and they are a great addition to the set! We use them for traditional purposes, but also to hold au jus, serve dips and other sauces. They’re great!

Review date : 2007-12-21
I adore the Portmeirion Botanic Garden line. I find these little ramekins extremely useful. I fill them with sauces or other condiments and put them on the plate as an accompaniment to the meal. I also use them for berries or ice cream. You can put salt and pepper in them or use them as prep dishes when preparing a meal. They can certainly be used the traditional way for custards, but they are too pretty to save just for that.