Throughout her gardening life, Marylyn Abbott has created, designed, and re-designed. With a painterly eye, she has re-imagined everything from herbaceous borders to classic potagers, filling beds with a single rich jewel-like color or sprinkling a vegetable garden with rainbow-hued tulips. Although her creations have often been likened to theater, their designs are firmly rooted in historic precedent and classical symmetry. Now, Abbott shares her thoughts on garden design, complementing practical advice with breathtaking photographs of her own gardens and those of others. Without forgetting the constraints of space, sunlight, soil, and climate, Abbott encourages gardeners to fulfill their horticultural fantasies. Whether as a treasure trove of some of the world's great gardens, a history of design, or a source of inspiration, no lover of gardens should be without this essential work. Marylyn Abbott's previous books include "Gardening with Light and Color."