Secrets of Disney's Glorious Gardens

• Introduction
• Walt's Idea Blossoms
• Lands of Plenty
• Setting a Mood
• International Flora
• Trade Secrets
• Behind the Scenes
• Photo Credits

How do Disney gardens grow ? With care, endless creativity, and the combined talents of hundreds of plant, shrub, and tree experts.

A treasure trove of information for flower enthusiasts and fans of Disney alike, Secrets of Disney's Glorious Gardens draws on the inside knowledge of Disney's endlessly inventive horticultural staff to take readers on a behind-the-scenes garden tour of the magnificent landscapes of Disneyland and Walt disney World. Abloom with lore about the unique design principles, pioneering landscaping practices, and innovative growing techniques that make the resorts wonders of the natural world, the book reveals how Disney pros work their magic - and how home hobbyists can recreate the colorful effects in their own gardens.

From the very beginning, when Walt disney first laid out plans to turn a small patch of Southern California into an enchanted kingdom, deft landscaping has been essential to the Disney experience. Artists whose paints are living plants and whose canvases are the vast parks themselves, Disney horticulturists have perfected the use of flowers and trees to immerse guests in fantasy worlds of heightened color and emotion. Packed with stunning photography and filled with planting advice and insights, Secrets of Disney's Glorious Gardens shows just how they do it.

Packed with photographs, planting tips, and loads of hands-on projects, Secrets of Disney's glorious Gardens is an earthly delight.

• Find out how pioneers such as Morgan "Bill" Evans, founding father of Disney landscape design, helped turn Walt's vision for the parks into reality
• Learn how Disney wonder-workers grow tropical rain forests from scratch, à la Jungle Cruise, and how they choose specific plants to transport guests to different times and places
• See how shrub sculptors turn garden-variety ficus plants into picture-perfect likenesses of Mickey and friends
• Find out what makes the grounds of The Haunted Mansion so spooky and how miniature roses contribute to the All-American feel of Main Street, U.S.A.
• Learn wich flowers work best in vibrant Disney-style hanging baskets
• Pick up tips for choosing the right perennials and annuals for your own gardens
• Find out from Walt Disney World's environmentally-sensitive pest-management experts how to make non-toxic insecticide
• Go behind the scenes at Disney's greenhouses and trial gardens, where professional growers test new cultivars for use in the parks
• Marvel at more than 300 detailed images of Disney's award-winning gardens and mind-bending landscapes

At once a lavishly illustrated guide and a priceless how-to manual, Secrets of Disney's Glorious Gardens leaves no stone unturned as it digs into its rich subject. Treat for the eyes, feast for the mind, balm for the garderner's soul, it's the ultimate dish on gardening the Disney way.