READ THIS: CAPITAL SPLENDOR Gardens and Parks of Washington, DC BY BARBARA GLICKMAN | PHOTOGRAPHY BY VALERIE BROWN
As you may or may not know, the very first place Peachy lived outside of her hometown by herself was Washington DC and the neighborhood of Georgetown, to be exact. (New York was the following year...) We were delighted to review Capital Splendor, and in our relentless pursuit of patriotism we think it is a splendid display of the city that puts our country on a map, in a governmental way of course. (New York puts it on the map in a productive, business, cultural way!) It takes us to the time of cherry blossoms, which is now we believe, and in just over 200 pages Capital Splendor highlights what is best about our nation's capital.
The book begins with some maps in the beginning which are quite helpful, and is followed by a well-written foreword by Holly Shimizu, Executive Director of the US Botanic Garden.
We imagine that in most of America, people have their own private gardens. However, when you live in an urban spot, that idea is just that-an idea. Not a practice! So, they began Chapter One with Community Gardens of Washington DC which we were not previously familiar with. We've never made it to Dumbarton Oaks but feel we have been there now through these gorgeous pictures. This is followed b y Hillwood Estate which is simply spectacular; we love those pink flowers! As the book progresses, you will probably encounter quite a lot that you didn't know about previously unless you are a botanist in Washington DC!
New York may have Theodore Roosevelt's birthplace but this book has got his island...do check it out. We are sure many of you have been to the Tidal Basin, but the pictures captured here are totally stunning so take a look through someone else's lens. The whole book captures a city that you haven't looked at quite like this before, and there's even a Part II on Maryland and a Part III on Virginia. More than just a coffee table book, Capital Splendor is a work of art and history! It makes a delightful gift, but you're going to want to buy a second for yourself. Whom You Know Recommends Capital Splendor!
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People descend upon the nation’s capital by the millions each year, and while they fill their visit sightseeing the monuments and museums, most are blissfully unaware of the more than 30 garden and park spaces in the DC area that offer a wholly other experience apart from the bustle and crowds. For residents, they may well be the capital’s best-kept secrets.
With CAPITAL SPLENDOR: Gardens and Parks of Washington, DC (Countryman Press Hardcover; April 2012; $19.95), the secret’s not only out, it’s presented in breathtaking full color. Photographs by Valerie Brown guide us on a virtual tour of DC’s must-see gardens, brilliantly capturing these exquisitely designed, richly textured landscapes, while Barbara Glickman’s profiles enlighten us to each location’s history and distinctive features. Consider this book a portal into the splendid discoveries that you won’t resist making the next time you tour the capital.
Among the featured gardens and parks you’ll find:
· The Tidal Basin, where the Jefferson Memorial stands along with, perhaps more famously, about 3,700 spring-blossoming cherry trees. Exactly 100 years ago, the basin’s first cherry trees were planted by First Lady Helen Taft and Viscountess Chinda, wife of the Japanese ambassador. Those first two trees still stand today.
· Dumbarton Oaks, an historic property in Georgetown, features 10 acres of formal gardens that simply abound with sensory delights: seasonal flowers framing several
ambles, complete with reflecting pools, a Roman-style amphitheater, brick terraces,
and an 18th-century Provencal fountain. And forget not the stunning Rose Garden, in bloom from May to October.
· Washington National Cathedral Gardens, designed more than 100 years ago by Frederick Law Olmsted (the man who gave us New York’s Central Park), thrives with an array of plants and herbs with medicinal and culinary purposes, based on medieval monestary gardens, as well as Bible-inspired varieties, a rose garden, and much else against the backdrop of towering cathedral and its hourly carillon bells.
· Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historic Park, comprising over 19,000 acres from DC to Cumberland, MD, features one of the most spectacular natural attractions in the region: Great Falls, a series of cascades and rapids that turn the otherwise slow-moving Potomac into a steep, raging torrent within a mile stretch.
These few examples and many more rejuvenating natural escapes populate the capital region and beg to be added to visitors’ itineraries as well as residents’ weekend plans. And this book, complete with maps to help you locate each park and garden, is the ideal companion for an adventure.
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About the Authors:
Barbara Glickman has been an avid and active member of the Washington, DC, gardening community for many years. Her extensive travels have taken her to gardens around the country and the world.
Valerie Brown worked as an assistant for Salvador Dali and others after completing a photography degree. She has gone on, in an illustrious career, to have her images included in publications ranging from Women’s Wear Daily to People to Time. Brown’s photos are also included in collections around the world.
CAPITAL SPLENDOR
Gardens & Parks of Washington, DC
By Barbara Glickman | Photography by Valerie Brown
Countryman Press Hardcover; April 2, 2012; $19.95
ISBN 978-0-88150-982-3
