Paris: chez Desenne, Janvier, 1792. The gardens at Betz were built by Marie-Catherine Brignolé, princess of Monaco, between 1780 and 1789. They formed an important parc à fabriques, created at least partly by a collaboration of Hubert Robert and the duc d'Harcourt. Cérutti visited the gardens in 1785 and composed this poem while there to recite as an entertainment for his host and fellow guests. It narrates a promenade through the park in the course of which each of its many picturesque fabriques and features is carefully described. It is easily the most detailed and complete contemporary account of this important jardin anglais, which was abandoned during the Revolution and later lost to neglect. Though not originally written for publication, the poem was eventually published shortly before the author's death together with the extensive footnotes on the gardens which more than double the text. The present copy is marked as "Seconde Édition," although its imprint gives a date of January 1792, the same date as the first. Ganay 538. 8vo (19.4 x 12.5 cm); 72 pp. including three pages listing Cerutti's other publications.

Paris: D.-A Longuet, (ca, 1913). This portfolio of plates reproducing early garden engravings was published at the time of the 300th anniversary of the birth of André Le Nôtre. Its purpose was to furnish models of the formal French garden for architects and gardeners, as well as amateurs and garden proprietors. As such, it is a valuable resource for any student of French gardens because its 393 reproduced engravings document important design elements in French gardens from the Middle Ages to the beginning of the landscape garden period. Of particular interest is the large selection of parterre designs. With a brief historical text, an index of the localities represented in the plates, a table of artists or engravers and, sometimes, locations of the plates, and with a bibliography of works on garden art in France. Ganay 388 Folio (39.5 x 29.5 cm); 24 pp. text + 104 plates of 393 photographic reproductions of engravings, documents and a few photographs.

Paris: Chez L'Auteur, 1800. First edition. Though not highly esteemed as a scientific botanist, Buc'hoz was an energetic naturalist and an indefatigable compiler of botanical fact who stands as one of the most prolific French writers on this subject during his day. The primary objectives in his most important works were comprehensiveness and utility. In the present volume he provides an annotated catalogue of all plants useful in ornamental gardening or for display in orangeries and greenhouses. Over a thousand different varieties are listed, nearly all of which are accompanied by commentary on their special qualities and use in gardens. The work is divided into two main parts: the first is a general listing of both domestic and exotic plants; the second confines itself to hardy plants native to the region around Paris. A final chapter is devoted specifically to plants useful in the creation of hedges and enclosures. 8vo (19.8 x 12 cm); 16 + 288 pp.

Amsterdam: Pierre Mortier, 1695. Thomassin was sent by Colbert to study in Rome for four years before returning to France in 1680 and becoming court engraver to Louis XIV. Among his first projects after his return was to draw and publish illustrations of all the sculpture, ancient and modern, used to decorate the palace and gardens at Versailles. The first edition of this work appeared in Paris in 1694. It was quickly reissued, in the edition offered here, by Pierre Mortier in Amsterdam. This Dutch edition includes the same text and plates, but adds a folding engraved plan of the gardens of Versailles and a translation of the text into Latin, Italian and Dutch. The plates depict not only the statuary, but also the fountains, hermae and vases distributed throughout the gardens. A rare second Paris edition with 26 additional plates was published in the same year as the first, but that edition also appeared without the garden plan. Ganay 37; Berlin Cat 4212. Small 4to (19.1 x 13.8 cm); 59 + (1) + (1) + (1) pp. + engraved title, 228 engraved plates, and a folding plan (49.5 x 32.5 cm).

Bar Harbor, Maine: Max Farrand Memorial Fund, 1946 - 1959, (1963). First collected edition. Reef Point on Mt. Desert Island, Maine, was built for Farrand's family in 1883. The gardens and library were eventually opened to the public, and when her husband died in 1945 Beatrix established the Max Farrand Memorial Fund to expand the activities of the gardens and library. For this organization she wrote and published 16 issues of the Reef Point Gardens Bulletin and included in it a variety of articles on horticulture and natural history, in general, and the gardens and grounds of Reef Point in particular. The Reef Point Garden horticulturist, Amy Magdalene Garland, also contributed articles to the bulletins. The bulletins were collected (together with the unpublished 17th bulletin in which Farrand writes her own memorial) and issued in 1963 as a tribute. 8vo (22.6 x 15 cm); 116 pp. (unpaginated) with numerous text illustrations from photographs and with plans.

New York: Wm. C. Bryant, 1864. This seventh annual report of the Central Park Commissioners is a part of an ensemble of reports, all issued separately over the years, which constitute the one essential documentary resource for the study of America's first and most important major urban park. As reported here, in April, 1863, the Commissioners finally gained the right through the courts to acquire land between 106th and 110th streets between Fifth and Eighth avenues for extension of the park. The Board reaffirms its aim to preserve the site's natural ruggedness and views of distant landscapes. Additional work which occupied the Board this year, in addition to extending drives and walks through newly acquired land, was constructing portions of the enclosing wall, completing most of the unfinished surface of the ground below One Hundred and Second street and the stone-work of the terrace and masonry of the ravine's rustic bridge. A large colored fold-out map of Central Park shows progress of work up to January 1st, 1864. Other plates illustrate the archway under the foot-path for the bridle road south of the meadows, another archway east of the lake and another northwest of the Ramble. There are views of the casino or ladies refreshment saloon and the boat landing, north east of the lake. The whole concludes with a 33 page catalogue of trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants in the park as of Dec. 31, 1863" with the months of Flowering and Fruiting of such as have conspicuous blossoms or fruits." 8vo (23.5 x 14.5 cm); (ii) + 123 + (i) pp. + large fold-out color map measuring 23 x 87 cm. + 5 tinted lithographed views + 3 untinted lithographs.

London: W. Bulmer and Co, 1794. omamin Pouncy iFirst edition of this important manifesto marking the outbreak of the "picturesque controversy" that continued to dnate landscape gardening theory and practice at the outset of the nineteenth century. Knight attacked the Brown/Repton school in favor of the rough and irregular style also advanced by Price in his theories of the picturesque, that is, gardens which imitate the wild natural scenery in the paintings of Claude and Salvatore Rosa. His lengthy poem provides practical advice for obtaining these results and includes two folding etchings by Benjfrom drawings by Thomas Hearne which illustrate a rural estate laid out in the contrasting styles.THE LANDSCAPE, A DIDACTIC POEM. “No decoration should we introduce, That has not first been nat’raliz’d by use” Henrey 900. 4to (28.5 cm. x 22 cm.); (iv) + 77 pp. + 3 plates (2 folding).

Paris: Panckoucke, 1802. The enlarged and partially revised second edition, which includes significant material supplementing the original version of 1776. The newly added preface (128 pages) provides, among other things, an extended commentary on writings on garden design published since the first edition. There are also 75 pages of end notes and a new 100 page section on trees, consisting primarily of a "Tableau Dendrologique" listing the various features of over 1000 varieties of trees. Morel's THEORIE, following shorter works by Girardin and Watelet, presented the most thorough treatise on the new theories of natural garden design which dominated French taste at the end of the 18th century. It was also the first treatise on garden design in the natural style (French or English) to have been written by a professional rather than an amateur. Morel's practical experience is evident throughout, which may help account for the high esteem in which the book was held by French landscape gardeners far into the nineteenth century. Drawing heavily on Whately's OBSERVATIONS ON MODERN GARDENING, Morel rejected the formal symmetry of classical French gardens in favor of the picturesque and "natural" style associated with the English. He did not, however, actually visit England and its gardens until after the publication of the first edition, and the comments he added to this edition are the first to reflect first-hand experience of the places Whately had described. All these additions make this the generally preferred edition for purposes of study. The preferred edition for study. Ganay 98. Two volumes, 8vo (21 x 14 cm); (viii) + cxxviii + 234 + (1, errata), (iv) + 340 + (2, errata) pp. + engraved frontispiece.

Columbus, Ohio: The Ohio State University, 1903. An interesting original photo-illustrated typed manuscript presented for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Horticulture and Forestry at Ohio State University. Asserting that "the one who takes the most interest in home surrounding lays the best foundation for other undertakings," Long proposes solutions to making a country home where no previous improvements exist and discusses, to a lesser extent, conditions where old improvements are in need of change and improvement. His chapters cover: selecting the site (for convenience and beauty); laying out the grounds and arranging the buildings (outbuilding the neighbors is "an unworthy motive"); planning the country residence (convenience, beauty, economy of space and durability); grading and general improvements (re-use excavated soil and aim for luxuriant lawn and shrubbery); planting trees and shrubs (plant common trees of the forest rather than "puffed up varieties of catalogs" and plant with an eye to the vista); designing walks, drives and entrances (no right angles!) improving older homes (the lawn is of paramount importance). Following the text are nine full-page original photographs mounted on heavy stock with text opposite offering commentary. Long considers these as supplementary to his thesis. Figure 1 is a perfectly planted lawn with a woman in turn-of-the century dress holding a basket of flowers; Figure 2 displays successful street planting and a horse-drawn carriage; Figure 3 is a tree and shrub planting on small grounds; Figure 4 shows planting as background and protection; Figure 5 demonstrates planting for a "cozy corner" with two figures in period dress; Figure 6 - the placement of a large home within the grounds; Figure 7 - a well-planted lawn sweeping around to the rear of the house; Figure 8 is the scene at Figure 1 from a different viewpoint; Figure 9 reveals the open effect created by continuing planting around the house. These amateur photographs have great appeal and certainly demonstrate widely applied principles which created much of the middle class residential American landscape at the turn of the century. Bound typed manuscript, 27 x 21 cm, 28 unnumbered pp. with text typed (or mimeographed) on rectos only + 9 plates of original photographs, measuring 12 x 15.7 cm, with 9 ff. opposite providing typed commentary; a few tissue guards to photos removed, but laid in at front.

Paris: Librarie Hachette, 1964. One of 150 copies on Velin de Rives, “Imprimé spécialement pour/ MONSIEUR ANDRE MALRAUX/Ministere D’État / Chargé Des Affaires Culturelles” signed and inscribed by the author, “Hommage de l’auteur”. Menars, located on the Loire, began in the 17th century as a classical French garden and chateau. For a brief period (1760-1764), it served as the residence residence of Madame de Pompadour, who added her personal touch to the chateau with the help of architect, Jacques-Ange Gabriel. Following her death, her brother, the marquis de Marigny, engaged Jacques-Gabriel Soufflot to further develop the site. The exuberant drawings of Anne Français fill this colorful book with impressions of visits to Menars in winter and in spring. While leading the reader through the interior and exterior spaces, she often succeeds in demonstrating their interrelationship. Accompanying text offers an overview of the history of Menars. A very charming book, printed by Mourlot and entirely designed by Français, known for inventing the concept of “ionnisme” in painting. With drawings, watercolors, text and mise en page executed entirely by the author/artist and produced in black and white and color lithograph at Mourlot, Paris. Copy printed for Andre Malraux 8vo (25.5 x 18 cm); (ii) + (xiv) + 17-66 + (10) pp. with text illustrations on every page printed in color and black and white; author’s signed presentation on the limitation page.