Du Pont Gardens of the Brandywine Valley - (Hardcover)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

Celebrates the Du Pont family heritage of land stewardship and horticultural creativity

Renowned as the first family of American horticulture, the du Ponts created magnificent landscapes and gardens that complement the verdant, rolling lands of the Brandywine Valley. Five of their estates - Hagley, Nemours, Mt. Cuba, Winterthur, and Longwood Gardens - are open to the public, each a showplace of formal plantings juxtaposed with carefully nurtured natural woodland. Larry Lederman's photographs capture the essence of these sites, moving through the seasons and through the day from dawn to dusk.

Review Quotes

'[A] visual buffer, showing how the resources the du Ponts dedicated to their landscapes made the Brandywine Valley a must-see destination for garden lovers and students of horticulture.' - Leaflet, The Massachusetts Horticultural Society Publication

'The horticultural achievements of the various members of the du Pont family have now been brought to life . . . Lederman's images -- which include both intimate close-ups and long-lens wide shots -- are ravishing, revealing the verdant beauty of the grounds.' - 1stdibs Introspective

'[A]n inviting history and photographic celebration of the seasonal splendors of five Du Pont Gardens open to the public . . . Larry Lederman captures their year-round allure in luxuriant photographs.' - NPR

About the Author

Following a successful career in corporate law, Larry Lederman turned to photography as a profession. From an initial focus on the forms and foliage of trees, Lederman now captures the beauty of gardens and landscapes through the seasons.

He is the author of many books, including Magnificent Trees of the New York Botanical Garden, The Rockefeller Family Gardens: An American Legacy, and Garden Portraits: Experiencing Natural Beauty, all published by Monacelli, and the principal photographer for the 125th anniversary edition of The New York Botanical Garden (Abrams).

Marta McDowell is a garden historian and writer whose books include Emily Dickinson's Gardening Life, Unearthing the Secret Garden, and Beatrix Potter's Gardening Life. She teaches landscape history and horticulture at the New York Botanical Garden and is a featured speaker at garden clubs and horticultural organizations.

Charles A. Birnbaum, FASLA, FAAR, founder, president, and CEO of The Cultural Landscape Foundation, is the editor of Experiencing Olmsted, a survey of parks and public spaces.