Gardens for a Beautiful America, 1895-1935

Gardens for a Beautiful America, 1895-1935, illustrated with over 250 colored images of American and European gardens, is the story of Frances Benjamin Johnston—celebrity photographer of the Country House Era. With lively detail, author Sam Watters recounts the stories of new and classic gardens that inspired Johnston, house owners, and designers after 1900.

“Rarely does a book appear that feels like a revelation. The Acanthus Press’ recent Gardens for a Beautiful America is just such a book, however…Today, anyone interested in the history of gardens owes Mr. Watters a huge debt of gratitude as he painstakingly identified the slides and presents 250 of them in this ravishing book, giving us miniature portraits of gardens in both America and Europe.” —Jane Garmey, 1stDibs.

All photos courtesy of Frances Benjamin Johnston Collection, Prints & Photographs Division, Library of Congress.