Book excerpt: An authoritative and superbly illustrated celebration of the great gardens of the United States and Canada from the author of the highly acclaimed TheÿNew English Garden. The gardens chosen for this book range from eighteenth-century landscape gardens such as Thomas Jefferson's Monticello in North Carolina, through twentieth-century creations such as the lakeside garden at Innisfree in New York State and dramatic Naumkeag in Massachusetts to the work of exciting new designers such as Topher Delaney in San Francisco and Martha Schwartz in New Mexico. Many of the gardens are open to the public, so readers can actually visit them. The others, newer domestic gardens, offer instead glimpses into a glamorous world of luxurious outdoor living. To view a video preview of Great Gardens of America click here