Book excerpt: Flowers in the World's Most Beautiful Gardens puts the spotlight on the star of the garden--the flower. Tracing the history of flower gardens from the Middle Ages to today, the book discusses the types of flowers commonly planted, the landscape designs, the advances in technology, and how these practices have changed throughout the centuries. Each chapter also focuses on a significant type of bloom--the rose, iris, and tulip, among others. Illustrated with more than 180 exquisite photographs by Alain Le Toquin, this book features the world's most extraordinary flower gardens, showcasing gardens in countries such as the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, New Zealand, Russia, the United States, Thailand, and many more.