Gardens Of the World (Six Videos)

May 13, 2008 | By Doug In Landscape |

Gardens Of the World (Six Videos)
Imagine the world’s most elegant tour guide, illuminating some of the world’s most breathtaking vistas. The Emmy-winning PBS series Gardens of the World with Audrey Hepburn features the graceful film icon, in her last screen appearance before her death in 1993, as host of a tour of the world’s most elegant and spectacular gardens. Hepburn herself was a gardening enthusiast (at least one rose and one tulip have been named for her), and her passion for the subject will entrance even those who struggle to keep a pot of herbs on the windowsill. The chapters are organized around type of garden (rose gardens, formal, country, etc.) as well as geography (Japanese gardens, tropical), and within each segment, Hepburn, and her co-narrator, Michael York, outline the history, details and art behind all manner of gorgeous spreads.

The “Formal Gardens” segment, for instance, spans nearly 3,000 years, with the original gardens of the pharaohs providing fruit, shade trees, even herbs for embalming. The Persians introduced the concept of pleasure gardens, influenced by Islamic belief of heaven as a vast, restorative garden. The classical Greeks and Romans added statuary to the formal ideal; the Italians, cascading fountains; the French, the idea, embodied at Versailles, of man’s mastery over nature. Every garden is breathtaking in its own way, yet there are principles that even a novice gardener can absorb: the notion of architecture and structure, inside which the “furniture” of flowers and other plants, as suggested by the British garden expert Penelope Hobhouse, can be placed just so. Along the way, and around the world through history, Hepburn is a compelling guide whose obvious passion for the subject makes the series as riveting as any nature documentary. Extras in the Special Tribute Edition include a documentary, In Pursuit of Beauty, in which Hepburn visits more than 30 locations (including Giverny, known as Monet’s flower garden). It also includes an interview with Hepburn and a splendid soundtrack featuring selections by Debussy, Vivaldi, and Berlioz. –A.T. Hurley

Customer Review: Audrey and her Love of Gardening
A gardening book full of history, culture and poetic prose is put to video with Audrey Hepburn as your tour guide. Great travel writing. Classy lady. Audrey Hepburn fans will enjoy this, her last project. She doesn’t do all the voice overs. Michael York took over the voice narration after she passed away.

Customer Review: Really Beautiful
It is extremely hard to find quality garden videos so I was a little concerned this would fall flat, but be assured…this is truly worth the money. I was so delighted that I had to buy it for my parents and have recommended it highly to gardening friends. It is so much more than just video of beautiful gardens, Audrey Hepburn is gracious and elegant and inspirational. In addition it is a wonderful value as you get 2 dvd.s and there is hours of beauty to enjoy on each dvd. I have watched these over and over and just love the lift I get…especially during the winter months. You won’t be disappointed.

“The programme features colourful characters: Upsy Daisy, Igglepiggle, Makka Pakka, the Pontipines, the Wottingers, the Haahoos and three Tombliboos who live in a forest. As well as trees and tropical birds (Tittifers), the forest features a surprisingly large cast of other creatures for a programme aimed at toddlers.”
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Customer Review: An enjoyable and educational video
I have grown bonsai for nearly 15 years and have most of the books and videos on the market.This video although based at beginners is very watchable indeed.For the more advanced and knowledgeable enthusiast it gives you a chance to see our “bonsai celebrities” at work and the chance in colin lewis’s case to see some of his private collection.For the beginner a chance to blow away the myths of bonsai, it does take years of work, research and practise for it to come together, but this video will get you thinking and practising along the right path.
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