Ninfa: A Roman Enchantment (Small Books of Great Gardens)

One of the first four in this exquisite series devoted to the great gardens of the world, this book takes garden lovers on a tour of one of the world's most romantic gardens, laid out in the ruins of a medieval village traversed by the sparkling Ninfa River, forty-five miles southeast of Rome The site has belonged to the Roman Caetani family since the thirteenth century, but its current incarnation is the creation of three exceptional gardeners of this century: the eccentric English-born Duchess of Sermoneta, her brilliant American daughter-in-law Marguerite, the present Princess Caetani, and the princess' daughter Donna Lelia, who has collected over ten thousand plants from all over the world. Lauro Marchetti, director of Ninfa, supplies the history of the site since its settlement in the eighth century, the significance of the geography and climate, the design of the gardens as they exist today, and plans for the future. Claire de Virieu's photographs provide both deep views of the plantings along the river and such details as a flower in bloom on a medieval ruin.