Lying behind the urban facades of Paris is a hidden landscape. Whether grandiose or miniscule, highly manicured or exuberantly untended, these fifty secret gardens are rarely seen by casual passersby. Traditional French-style gardens, such as those of Hubert de Givenchy, Kenzo, or Pierre Berge, are attached to private town houses, and their designs mirror the elegance and restraint of the classic dwellings. The late Yves Saint Laurent's romantic, picturesque kitchen garden reflects his taste for outdoor living. Exotic hideaways include giant tropical ferns and rare flowers, greenery surrounding a Russian datcha, and a Japanese zen garden, demonstrating an eclectic range of urban gardens and providing inspiration to the expert gardener and armchair enthusiast.

Author Biography

Alexandra d'Arnoux was coeditor-in-chief of Vogue Decoration and Maison & Jardin and editor-in-chief of AD France. Bruno de Laubadere is a garden historian and author of several books on garden design and horticulture They coauthored Terraces and Roof Gardens of Paris and Gardens by the Sea. The late Gilles de Chabaneix was a world-renowned photographer who contributed to numerous books including the Way We Live series.