The lush oases pictured in Luxury Private Gardens, the newest title in teNeues' brilliant Luxury Books series, veer between the pleasantly inspirational and oppressively beautiful. In other words, while looking at it made us want to rush outside and start planting things, it also made us despair of ever creating anything one tenth as attractive as the private paradises portrayed between its covers. Much better, we feel, to simply sit back, mix a drink, read the damned book and let someone else do the digging, pruning, weeding and whatnot. But we digress.

Even the most lavish gardens in these pages displaying "the highest standards of horticultural excellence" are founded on simplicity, the book assures us: "Stripped down to their bare essentials, they are like a well-cut couturier's gown - nothing but an utterly simple response to the unadorned landscape or the naked human body they are designed to fit." The incredible Villa d'Este in Lake Como, Italy (where part of Casino Royale was filmed) pictured on the cover, with its elegant, elaborate parterres doesn't exactly scream simplicity to us, but we could stare at it all day. See the gallery for a luxe garden tour.

For the passionate and inspired homeowner, and for the estate that needs the perfect final touch, customized landscape lighting could be that extra "something" that's missing. A company called Artistic Illumination out of California is one company that works to make the most out of beautiful homes and beautiful landscaping from the outside in.

Looking at some of the photos on the website they really are beautiful, and even though it definitely doesn't look like an eco-friendly project (perhaps they use energy efficient bulbs?) I think I'd be finding all kinds of late night errands to run -- just so I could pull up to the house in the dark over and over again to appreciate the scenic ambiance!

While it seems extreme, homeowner Jennifer Bater couldn't be happier about her yard - or lack thereof. The Chicago resident said that the small yard between her brick house and brick garage was "like a kiln" and simply a place that you'd rather not go. Instead of going the route of many homeowners, installing plants and trees, she hired her interior designer to create a Spanish retreat for her.

A 5-sided gazebo, which can be seen in the picture, is attached to the garage and is outfitted with marble basin-style fountains and a weatherproof ceiling fan, in addition to chairs and tables. The water and powerlines have been laid underground, to minimize "urban distractions" and a deck and stairway were added on to the back of the house, leading down. The gazebo is surrounded by roses and other perennials. The cost was around $100,000, but Bater seems to think that it was worth every penny. "When you sit out there in the gazebo, you are of the garden, not in the garden. It's cool."

 

Love desert chic but live somewhere chilly? You can set yourself up with giant steel cacti that are individually made and hand finished. The cacti created by Eric Carroll come in a wide variety of sizes and four finishes: galvanized, patina rust, verdigris and the modernist mirror finish. There are also crown flowers that are sold separately which can be adapted for lights and misters. There is also a kit to light the steel cacti from the interior. Prices start at $900 for a standard saguro cactus made of cold-rolled steel.