Islamic Gardens and Landscapes (Penn Studies in Landscape Architecture) Paperback – March 1, 2022

Very interesting if you want to know more about the meaning of the landscape in Medieval Islamic Spain and about the waygardens were perceived. It includes a lot of information about the palace gardens in Al-Andaluz and the revolution in agriculture, botany and architecture that were fundamental in shaping the beautiful gardens of that area.The writer is a scolar, but manages to write in a way that is inviting to the layman. I thoroughly enjoyed the book.By the way: the book is obviously not targeted at practical tips for your garden but inspiring nevertheless on a more background-level.

This is a quite fine book on its topic, with some new things to say about a (dare I say it?) under-cultivated scholarly garden. The author rightly points out that most books on Islamic art and architecture basically stop when they hit the garden. This book could be interestingly matched up with one of the various histories of art and architecture (like the Yale volumes), as their complement. It is also interesting that the author challenges the standard view of the quadrature garden as being essentially the only pattern out there -- multiple patterns emerge. I particularly liked the discussion of the evolution of tombs and gardens together. The second half of the book is an invaluable selection of sites and site plans throughout the Islamic world.The book unavoidably carries with it the sadness evoked by the miserable fact that hardly any of the gardens he talks about survive in any fashion at all -- neglected, ignored, built over, redesigned. But we are talking gardens here, after all, so ephemeral comes with the terrain. But it is pretty grim, page after page of destruction.

great book

Excellent book and excellent service

Ruggles is a master of her field, very knowledgeable. For any one interested in the area, this book is a must have.

Acquistato per un regalo, prodotto consegnato in ottime condizioni e in tempo. Consigliato

Très intéressant. Peu de photos, mais beaucoup des plans.

If you are looking for a book filled with pictures of Islamic gardens then this isn't the book to go for. It has been written as a piece of serious research by a professor of landscape history at the University of Illinois, complete with copious source notes. As an academic study of the development of Islamic gardens I can't fault it, but it probably isn't something for the casual reader.

interesting but not enough photographies