The famed American landscape architect Frederick Law Olmstead, who designed the grounds of the Biltmore Estate and Central Park of New York City, once said that the "enjoyment of scenery employs the mind without fatigue and yet exercises it." When one appreciates scenes of beauty, such as expertly landscaped parks, wooded trails, or flower gardens, the interaction with nature relaxes the mind, soothes the body, and enables it to reinvigorate itself as whole.

Garden enthusiasts today are always seeking inspiration, from new and old ideas, whether you are a seasoned pro or only just beginning. In Betty Elza's photography book, she gives the reader not just a personal experience of her garden, but a great source of material that anyone can study and appreciate. With beautifully captured images of a diverse variety of plants from her family garden, Elza presents flowers such as daisies, peonies, roses, and the ever gorgeous lilies. Organized in alphabetical order (hence the A-Z of the book's title) Elza also includes the many vegetables that are planted in her garden, as well as the creative container gardens.

As you peruse the photographs, you almost feel called to sit outside in the spring sun or in your garden while enjoying these real life images of serenity. Like still life portraits, the flower images are colorful and lush with the ability to spark interest and excite you to expand or improve upon your own garden. Dedicated to Floyd Elza, the official gardener of all the flowers and plants presented in this book, it is easy to admire her family's dedication and thus be inspired.

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