Since 1997 Luciano Giubbilei has been creating serenely beautiful
gardens in locations on three continents. Giubbilei is known for the
understated elegance of his designs, but is constantly evolving his
style and approach, both in response to individual clients and as his
ideas develop. His work draws on his Italian heritage, especially the
Renaissance gardens of the Villa Gamberaia in Tuscany, and a
distinctively classical combination of restraint and opulent materials.
This book - now published in paperback for the first time - explores 12
significant gardens from Giubbilei's portfolio, including the garden
that won him a gold medal at the world-famous Royal Horticultural
Society's Chelsea Flower Show in 2009. The locations vary from private
residences in London and Barcelona to corporate headquarters in Geneva
and a holiday home in Morocco. Each project is fully documented, from
the preparation of mood boards and initial sketches to final planting
and finishing. As Tom Stuart-Smith notes in his foreword, Giubbilei's
gardens are characterized by their 'quiet aura of calm and poise' and
their 'restful confidence' 'The gardens are like the man, impeccably
turned out, suave and urbane in a gentle way, quietly assertive but
never bossy. Sophisticated and thoroughly Italian. ... [His style]
provides a form of instant theatre, where the designer forges places,
conjures atmosphere and creates spaces out of nothing. This is great
art.' Separate sections on the design process, site development, nursery
production and the sourcing of plants, as well as on the artists and
craftsmen with whom Giubbilei collaborates, offer a fascinating insight
into his working methods and sources of inspiration. Accessibly written
by a leading garden professional and fully illustrated with planting
plans, behind-the-scenes images and atmospheric photographs by Steven
Wooster, this beautiful book is the definitive work on the gardens of an
acclaimed designer.
