Dreaming of The Irish Garden

Today for tea I am dreaming of The Irish Garden in a book review offered to me by the Quarto Publishing Group USA.  

I am fond of this book.  It might be one of the most beautiful gardening books I have ever come across.  Written by Jane Powers with photographs by Jonathan Hession, the book takes you away to the "Emerald Isle" to discover around 60 of the most romantic gardens in the world.  The secret to the large variety of gardens lies in the tail of the Gulf Stream-the North Atlantic Drift.  The Gulf Stream's warm and watery effect creates Ireland's climate.  The climate can allow trees from Australia and bananas from Japan to thrive here. Plants from colder regions, such as alpine regions, are also at home in Ireland.  Some of the types of gardens pictured in this book were formal, cottage, kitchen, naturalized wildflowers, statuary, woodland, architectural, cutting borders, walled gardens, terraced gardens, land form gardens, Italian gardens, and water gardens.  Here was just a sample of some of the gardens I enjoyed.

This is exactly what I picture in my mind when I think of an Irish landscape; this bridge over a little stream in a woodland setting so green and lush.

But did you know they also have Japanese gardens?  Here is the symbolic Bridge of Life leading to the Garden of Peace and Contentment.  Many of the Asian plants thrive in Ireland.

Here is another woodland stream that is just perfection.

A series of low weirs manipulates the flow of water into a succession of little falls in the River Vartry at Mount Usher in county Wicklow.  This book is large 10 inches by 12 inches and 400 pages.  It is the perfect coffee table book and full of gorgeous color photography.  I really can't say I have ever seen a more gorgeous gardening book.  I highly recommend it for your favorite garden lover.  I really enjoyed it and plan to keep it out in my living room so I can disappear into some Irish garden while I am armchair traveling.

The teacup today is made by Gracie China the pattern is Stechcol.

Get yourself a copy of The Irish Garden and have a cup of tea. It is the most gorgeous book to sit and savor tea over! 

Thank you to Quarto Publishing Group USA for providing me with this book for review.  The review and opinions were entirely my own.

Sherry

I will link this to:

  

Tea Time Tuesday at Rose Chintz Cottage 

A Return to Loveliness  at A Delightsome Life 

Tea Cup Tuesday at Martha's Favorites

Tuesday Cuppa Tea at Antiques and Teacups 

Friends Sharing Tea at Bernideen's Tea Time Blog 

Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style

Inspire Me Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life

Tweak It Tuesday at Cozy Little House

Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home

Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage

Your Going to Love it Tuesday At Kathe with an E

The Scoop at Confessions of a Plate Addict

Totally Terrific Tuesday at Live Randomly Simple

Project Inspire at An Extraordinary Day

Do Tell Tuesday at Maybe She Made It

Make It Pretty Monday at The Dedicated House 

Share your Style Thursday at Common Ground

Amaze Me Monday at Dwellings-The Heart of the Home

What to Do Weekends at Shoestring Elegance

Idea Box Thursday at Mila's Little Things
Tuesday Garden Party at Simplify, Live, Love