Van Gogh's Gardens

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Summary: Van Gogh's Dream Come True
Review: My family and I have recently purchased a farm house in Provence (one of our dreams) and I needed to do something with the very outdated and overgrown garden. Having been a longtime admirer of Vincent van Gogh, and a native of Provence, I was drawn to this book for many reasons, and, although my major interest in it lies in its aesthetic value, it has proven indispensable in my garden plans as well.

Although van Gogh painted many subjects, his most popular and beloved paintings are those of my native Provence, paintings of sunflowers and irises, of wheat fields and vineyards and olive trees. Provence is a place like no other, and, because the limestone cliffs here absorb light rather than reflect it, even on the sunniest days, there is something magical about Provence and its gorgeous landscapes.

Van Gogh was not only an extraordinary artist, he was an extraordinarily interesting man. LUST FOR LIFE and DEAR THEO remain two of my favorite books and anyone interested in the life of van Gogh should definitely read both of them. Derek Fell has incorporated selected letters and paintings into the text of this book, making VAN GOGH'S GARDENS far more than a beautiful and sumptuous book of photography. And Fell has even gone a step further. He's used van Gogh's letters and paintings to illustrate the artist's theory of color and how he used color in his own art and how he would have used it in his own garden. Sadly, van Gogh wasn't able to plant a garden of his own, but Fell has done it for him, albeit in Pennsylvania rather than in Provence, but the results are still stunning and I think van Gogh would have been very proud.

Much of the natural world van Gogh painted in Provence is still extant. I remember the first time I stood in a meadow of sunflowers near Arles. I was overwhelmed, knowing that those very flowers were the descendants of the ones van Gogh captured so brilliantly on canvas. The countryside of van Gogh's little area of Provence really hasn't changed much since. The farmland, the mountains, the fields, the lovely and historic villages are really much the same as they were in van Gogh's day. If you can't get to Provence to see the "real thing," then looking at it through this book is the next best thing. And, even if you can get to Provence, more than once, this book will be a lovely and beautiful keepsake through the years.

VAN GOGH'S GARDENS is a practical book for the home gardener and an exquisitely beautiful book for the lover of van Gogh's work. It's a brilliant combination of text, painting and photography that brings van Gogh's dream garden to life.

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Summary: Learn about Van Gogh as gardener....
Review: This book is a great combination of learning about Van Gogh as an articulate gardener, nature lover, and color connoisseur as well as the artist as we already know him. It is a touching story told in a way that allows us to understand how Van Gogh used all these parts of his life and about the intensity with which he lived. His incredible appetite and curiosity about color combinations, the thought that went behind his choices of plants using color and texture as guide, and how he shared these experiences in letters to family. The pictures are gorgeous and yes, it has had an effect on the garden I am currently working on. How can one not be influenced by such genius. My thoughts on what goes into my garden & color perspective will forever be somewhat different, and made better, for having read this book. This book will give everyone who reads it a different way of looking at all gardens, plants, trees - and their selection of all these for their own garden.

Rating:
Summary: Award Winning Book
Review: This lavish book of lush photographs has won Derek Fell another award - the Garden Globe Award for Best Photographer from the Garden Writers Association of America. Derek was one of only five individuals selected out of a field of more than 300 entries to receive a 2002 Garden Globe Award for work produced during 2001. This award could easily make Derek the winner of more awards from Garden Writers than any other garden communicator. The book was selected by a panel of garden communication experts - some Pulitzer Prize winners themselves -- who look for the best books, magazines, writers and photographers in the country. This book is more than a collection of beautiful photographs. Derek uses the painter's personal interpretations, color theory and painting techniques to inspire you to re-create van Gogh's breathtaking paintings in your own backyard. Derek even includes tips on creating the picture perfect van Gogh garden of your own, complete with a list of van Gogh's favorite plants. To view all the Garden Globe Awards...

Rating:
Summary: Award Winning Book
Review: This lavish book of lush photographs has won Derek Fell another award - the Garden Globe Award for Best Photographer from the Garden Writers Association of America. Derek was one of only five individuals selected out of a field of more than 300 entries to receive a 2002 Garden Globe Award for work produced during 2001. This award could easily make Derek the winner of more awards from Garden Writers than any other garden communicator. The book was selected by a panel of garden communication experts - some Pulitzer Prize winners themselves -- who look for the best books, magazines, writers and photographers in the country. This book is more than a collection of beautiful photographs. Derek uses the painter's personal interpretations, color theory and painting techniques to inspire you to re-create van Gogh's breathtaking paintings in your own backyard. Derek even includes tips on creating the picture perfect van Gogh garden of your own, complete with a list of van Gogh's favorite plants. To view all the Garden Globe Awards...