Tropical garden design (hardback) - Tapa blanda

This volume, written by South East Asian landscape architect and designer Made Wijaya, explains the styles he uses and the inspiration behind his work. The "Collections" as he calls them, have enhanced luxury hotels such as the Bali Hyatt, Amandari, Four Seasons Resort, Jimbarnan, and transformed more than 400 gardens in the tropical world, including the US Ambassador's residence in Jakarta, the former Mustique estate of David Bowie and Wijaya's own Villa Bebek in Bali. Dividing his book into thematic sections, Wijaya has drawn liberally from his portfolio of "Collections", to which he gives such names as "tropical Cotswolds", "ruinscape period" and "bleu marjorelle". He outlines the historical and architectural ideas behind his water gardens, Balinese gardens, paths and paving, floating pavilions, courtyards and so on. The book can also be used as a practical guide with suggestions for achieving similar results. The colour photographs have been taken by the author himself plus an international selection of photographers.