Embarking on the sensory journey through Vivienne Hambly's "Amazing Gardens of the World" was nothing short of a revelation. This book is a mesmerizing tapestry that not only captures the essence of the world's most extraordinary gardens but weaves a narrative that transports you into a realm where each page is a visual poem celebrating the splendor of nature.

From the enchanting landscapes of North America to the subtropical wonders of Asia, Hambly's lens beckons you to explore the hidden treasures of each meticulously curated garden. Lose yourself in the vibrant flora of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew or stroll through the elevated wonder of New York City's High Line—a true testament to the magic born from human creativity.

As I turned each page, I found myself entranced by the stories behind Beijing's Summer Palace and the timeless allure of the Taj Mahal gardens in Agra. The biophilic enchantment of Seattle Spheres and the iconic waterlilies of Claude Monet's Giverny became vivid tales that unfolded before my eyes.

Being a photography enthusiast, I can confidently say that "Amazing Gardens of the World" transcends a mere collection of images—it's a visual symphony that resonates with the very soul of nature. The more than 200 photographs are not just snapshots; they are windows into the heart of botanical marvels. Each click is a brushstroke, and together they paint a masterpiece that left me in awe.

This isn't just a travelogue; it's an immersive experience. Hambly's meticulous research seamlessly blends with the outstanding photography, inviting you to explore not only the visual grandeur of each garden but also the captivating stories that breathe life into these horticultural wonders.

If you're a garden enthusiast, a nature lover, or someone seeking a visual escape, "Amazing Gardens of the World" is a must-have. It's more than a book—it's a botanical journey that invites you to discover the artistry and stories behind our planet's breathtaking landscapes. A true testament to the wonders that await when we open our eyes to the beauty that surrounds us.

Due to a family passing at the time, I was unable to download this in time before it was archived, and having only returned after several years away due to it severely affecting me, I am now working my way through those reviews I was unable to get to to detail the issue. Thank you for the opportunity, and I look forward to working with you in the future.

I took time to read and savor the beauty of each garden presented in this book. Some were made for the glory of the place, some were incidentally made, some were made to conserve as much plants as can be. But all are stunningly made and preserved, and amazed me how someone or people can imagine the design of a vast garden, what to plant, and how the plants are going to add beauty to the place. It's one of the most recommended book, in my opinion, to own.

READ MY REVIEWS

Cover: I’m so in love with the Gardens cover. Theatres is magnificent too, but it impresses me less in comparison.

Cleaning up the backlog means it’s two-in-one today, on which ‘two’ stands for ‘a couple of impressive photography books’.

The topics couldn’t be any more different: one is about gardens and the other features theatres; nature and architecture are maybe on the opposite side of the spectrum, but I think they can complement each other in a beautiful way.

As it always happens with Amber Books, the quality of each picture is breathtaking. I’d give a fair amount of money to be a fly on the wall when someone from Amber gets to decide which photos they should use and someone else gets to approve the entire thing. Wow.

The structure is pure Amber, too. One continent, one section, that makes for easier browsing. I also appreciate the subtle approach concerning captions.

Complaints, I have two, one for each book.

Gardens, [while I get the reasoning behind protecting PDFs, not letting me download it on the NetGalley app made for a truncated experience. Kindle is not the best when it comes to photography books, as it messes up with the formatting: word to the wise, keep the NetGalley app option open.] I spoke with the publisher and they informed me about an issue with the NetGalley app. *goes to complain at the help desk*

Theatres, I had no issues with the app—yay!—but I had a beef with the actual pictures, with the way they were chosen. Interiors are essential, of course, but what about the exteriors? I would have loved to see more of the actual buildings.

5 stars on GR.

This book is packed full of gorgeous gardens from all around the world, exactly as the above synopsis states. When I first flicked through it what immediately caught my eye wasn’t the flowers or trees or bushes but the amazing blue sky and sunshine! We’d been having a very dull winter and this book was like a unexpected summer’s day. Add to this all the wonderful gardens as well and it was a fabulous read. I visited Versailles back in the 1990s, not long after a storm had ripped through the gardens and it was such a disappointment. So it was a real delight to actually see what it should have looked like back then. There are so many gardens in this book that I’d love to visit, and some I imagine that I’ll never get to see, so it’s been a real treat to ‘visit’ through this book! Highly recommended!

Stunning. Spectacular. Simply perfect!! Just a few of the words I used as I drooled over the photographs of the most amazing gardens in the world! It is a real visual feast for the eyes, and a tonic for the soul to see so much beauty around the world!

This is a book of gardens all over the globe, so as a keen gardener myself, it was fascinating to see the different styles and approaches to gardens from different perspectives. It features royal palaces, parks, botanic gardens, homes of the rich and famous and features so many amazing approaches to the art of gardening and goes to show the importance of green spaces on every continent.

There's also some great text alongside the beautiful photographs, that give you more insight into the gardens featured and the plants used, as well as the role these gardens have played over the years.

I kept finding myself saying 'wow' as I turned each page to see a new perspective of a garden, from the traditional styles to the surreal and to the more recent fashions like roof gardens. I could have easily looked at a million more photographs from gardens around the world, so I hope there'll be more editions in the future!

It's a book that inspires, impresses and leaves you in awe of the creativity of gardeners over the years. The photography is beautiful and it's a book that I will happily keep picking up to drool over for many years to come!

The title of this book says it all - AMAZING. The gardens are beautifully photographed - from the grand old gardens in Britain, Italy, Austria, France. Germany to name just a few from the European section. The African Continent section is full of color and grandness, whilst the Asian Garden have a calmness within them, whist the arid regions have wonderful gardens growing in the most challenging soils. Australia, New Zealand, America and Canada have a distinct quality of its own - mixing and matching styles taken from gardens around the world.
Wonderful eye Candy for every gardener.

If you love gardens as much as I do, here's a gorgeous book! There are so many amazing photos from gardens all around the world, grouped by continent. I've seen a good number of the European ones, but I am awe of the Asian gardens! One day...

This photo collection of gardens from around the world is an interesting compilation. Though purported as "the World," a disproportionate portion (nearly half) of the book is about Europe. The last half of the book is divided among other regions of the world (Africa/Middle East, Asia, Australasia/Pacific, North/South America). I am quite certain there are gorgeous gardens in other parts of the world besides Europe that could have been highlighted in lieu of some of the more mundane European gardens. And, given the size of the two continents of North America and South America, one would think they could each have their own chapter.

As for the photos and captions that describe them, I would say most are unremarkable. There are some that are quite stunning, but they're the exception. Given this book is about gardens, it seemed as though there were too many close-ups of individual flowers or plants (which were, for the most part, not even identified). Each garden description (merely a few sentences in photo legends) seems to focus on the historical, rather than the design.

So, while this book might be worth a browse, I wouldn't give it more than an average rating. And, I'd like to see a more equal distribution from around the world, as well as more focus on garden design.

This book is glorious! It has the most amazing photos of gardens around the world - organised by location for ease. Each and every photo is jaw-dropping and wonderful: such awesome gardens. I want to visit them all. This is a spectacular book for any would-be gardener. It is the sort of book you would flick through and find something new each and every time.

Only thing I would have liked to see is an indication of season when the images were taken. If you want to visit a particular garden to see it in its full glory as photographed (and I do!) it would be helpful to know when it would be best to travel. 4 and a half stars from me!

This is a perfect living room or bathroom book. All the pictures are beautiful and inspire world traveling.

Stunning is perhaps the most accurate word for describing both this book, and the featured gardens.

From acres of tulips, to lush tropical foliage, you'll find pages and pages of drool-worthy photos that will thrill, and possibly even inspire you.

This is the perfect book for chasing away those winter blahs.

Amazing Gardens of the World: Spectacular Classic and Contemporary Gardens by Vivienne Hambly

Pros: lots of gorgeous photos, showcases a large number of gardens

Cons:

This is a gorgeous book. The photos are large and plentiful, with a wide variety of shots. The book covers gardens from around the globe with chapters on Europe, Africa and the Middle East, Asia, Australasia and the Pacific, and North and South America. Each chapter and the book itself get a single page introduction.

Most gardens get 1-2 photos, with a few getting as many as 7. Each garden has a short description explaining when it was planted/cultivated and, if known, who designed it.

The chapter on Africa and the Middle East is quite short, as there apparently aren’t that many large scale ornamental gardens there. But the photos of the gardens included are magnificent.

I got a digital copy, so I can’t judge the paper quality.

If you like gardens or need a book to help calm your mind with beautiful imagery, this is a good choice.

An absolutely stunning book of gardens and picturesque landscapes. I would love to see this book on my coffee table as it could actually add to the decor! I love landscape design and greenery so this book spoke to my heart!

A great collection of stunning gardens from around the world. Some of the photographs could have been better, such as the less than picture perfect zinnia at Shalimar Gardens on page 126, the very blurry photo of Queen Elizabeth fountain at Pukekura Park on page 166 and the poorly edited photo of the pond at Dumbarton Oaks on page 187, but most of them were stunning. I realize it's a lot to ask, but it would have been better if the same photographer spent a year or so traveling to these places to get a cohesive style and the best quality for the book as a whole.

I love gardening, learning new gardening techniques and styles and learning about gardens I have never heard of before, and this book was a perfect taste of all of this. I learned what pleaching is, I learned about the Great Banyan (could have included a better picture of this tree too), and I learned about Wendy Whiteley, who used gardening as therapy to overcome her heroin addiction and the loss of her husband and daughter. Now I can do further exploration of her horticultural work.

I appreciated the little tidbits of history and explanation along with the photos, and I think this would a great overview book for anyone who is interested in gardening.

I received this book as an ARC, and this is my honest review. Thank you NetGalley and Amber Books!

Rich in breathtaking photography in over 200 pictures of some of the most surreally beautiful gardens on the planet, Amazing Gardens of the World enchants and beguiles. Gardens from various eras, styles, themes, sizes and climates are highlighted. The author discusses the reasons for gardens such as display as wealth, decoration, commercial crops, botanic education and escapes from the mundane. There are rose gardens, herbaceous borders, arboreta, orchards, glasshouses, spring bulb gardens, water features, meadows, topiary, succulents and exotics. The author also gives some background history such as designers greats including Christopher Lloyd and 'Capability Brown'. Included are formal and informal gardens as well as specific plants.

Crathes Castle, Hampton Court Palace, Versailles, Blenheim Palace, Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, Schwerin Castle in Germany, Zagreb Botanic Gardens and Villa d'Este in Italy are some I am besotted with as a rabid traveler. But there are so many others which are remarkably intriguing in Portugal, Turkey and Russia. Examples of gardens outside Europe include the Camphor Avenue in South Africa, Aswan in Egypt with huge sand dunes in the background, meticulous gardens in Japan, the largest tree in India, skywalks in Singapore and Hatley Castle in British Columbia.

If you are at all interested in gardens, you are bound to be delighted by this book, perfect to pull out and ogle over and over again.

My sincere thank you to Amber Books Ltd. and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this stunning, stunning book. Choosing 100 gardens from thousands must have been difficult...I would love to see more showcased in the future!

The creativity and brilliance of people long gone from this planet is showcased in this book, through the gardens that they painstakingly created. I was pretty taken with the gardens in Europe and Asia. I recommend this to garden enthusiasts, nature lovers and travellers.

this is a beautiful coffee table book. The pictures are detailed and well done. The readers will feel like they have traveled to these amazing places and are getting a private tour. Perfect for inspiring home gardeners to take a chance and make something incredible in their own backyards

"Amazing Gardens of the World" presents the reader with what I like to call a wonderful armchair travel experience. Beginning in Europe, author Vivienne Hambly takes one on tour of some of the most beautiful and exquisite gardens around the wall. While the descriptions of each are very brief, the images make up for that brevity. Some of my favorites in the book were: Hampton Court Palace (England); Alhambra Palace (Spain); the Jardin Marjorelle (Morocco); Taj Mahal (India); Summer Palace (China); Flaxmore Garden (New Zealand); Hatley Castle (Canada); Longwood Gardens (USA); Jardin Japones (South America).
I also learned some interesting things: the largest tree in the world is in West Bengal, India and that Edith Wharton is the first woman to win the Nobel in literature for her book "The Age of Innocence" (one of my favorite books and movie, by the way). But the ultimate for me was a beautiful topiary of a woman's head and upper body, with a waterfall cascading from her palm that can be seen in the Atlanta Botanical Garden.
There was nothing in this book I did not like. Beautiful images and the chance to once again go around the world via this book. So if these are things you like - beautiful photography, gardens, and armchair travel - this is definitely the book for you!

Amazing book: gorgeous photos and lovely garden. I loved it and wished I was there.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine