Ever wonder what lies beyond the garden wall? Now at last it's possible to peek over all those fences and gates and enjoy a close-up look at some of Maine's most extraordinary private landscapes. Photographer Lynn Karlin and writer Rebecca Sawyer-Fay take readers on a guided tour of some of their favorite gardens around the state, gardens grand as well as offbeat. Town gardens and country gardens, camp, cottage, and seaside gardens—they're all here in 248 glorious color photographs brimming with ideas and inspiration.

Gardens Maine Style is nothing less than a celebration of the can-do spirit of Maine gardeners, who succeed despite extremes of weather, a short growing season, an abundance of rocks, and even salt spray. Discover where some of the most accomplishes gardeners in the Northeast buy their plants, and where they go to find one-of-a-kind containers and outdoor sculpture—garden-oriented antiques shops, co-ops, and salvage retailers are all included.

A collaboration between two nationally known garden journalists, Gardens Maine Style is also your guide to acclaimed historic landscapes around the state, some still in the hands of families that designed and planted them more than a century ago. Included, as well, are legendary gardens now open to the public, among them Bernard McLaughlin's charming and highly personal oasis in South Paris, and the restored Hamilton House Gardens in South Berwick.

A book for armchair gardeners, home gardeners, and garden tourists, Gardens Maine Style makes it easy to take home a bit of Maine magic, no matter where you live.

Photographs by: Lynn Karlin