Gardens of the World


© Kirk Johnson
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Dec 3, 2003


I recently received an email from someone who wanted to know how to pronounce the word "parterre". I explained that it was a French word, so if they should ask someone who speaks French to pronounce the word for them. I also looked at Amazon.com to see if they offered the video "Gardens of the World". This video dates from 1991, so I wasn't at all sure if it was still available. I was delighted to find that it is available in both VHS and DVD. The DVD is a real bargain because it costs less than the VHS tape and includes additional behind the scenes footage. You get all eight half hour segments. When this series was shown on PBS a decade ago, they were charging $24.95 for tapes of each half hour segment. Now you can get the entire series on one DVD for $26.95.

The reason why I was looking for this video is because in the segment on formal gardens, Audrey Hepburn does a good job of pronouncing the word "parterre", along with other French words connected with formal gardens, but this video offers much more than that.

Gardens of the World was Audrey Hepburn's last work, she died of cancer soon after it was completed, so if you admired her, this video will have a special place in your heart.

I taped this series when it was shown on PBS in 1993. For some reason, they only showed 6 of the 8 segments. They didn't show the segments on Tropical Gardens and Japanese Gardens. I know that I have seen the segment on Japanese Gardens when this series was shown on Home & Garden TV. For some reason I didn't tape it; maybe I was having problems with my VCR. I am not sure that I have ever seen the segment on Tropical Gardens, but I own a copy of the book that accompanied this series when it was first shown, so I have a pretty good idea of what was in that segment and it is quite interesting.

I really should buy this DVD, but I just finished watching the six episodes that I taped from PBS, so I will focus on them.

Roses & Rose Gardens is a bit commercial because the series was originally sponsored by Jackson & Perkins, but the emphasis was on old roses rather than the latest hybrids, so if you love old roses, watching this segment will be like a glimpse of paradise.

       

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Here's the follow-up discussion on this article: View all related messages
12.   Jan 27, 2004 11:10 PM
In response to message posted by Cercis:

Thanks. That was a surprise. That music sounded so English. ...

-- posted by Kirk_Johnson
11.   Jan 27, 2004 5:36 AM
In response to message posted by Cercis:

Well, Kirk, I've finally gotten around to watching the segment on country gardens and th ...

-- posted by Cercis
10.   Dec 21, 2003 4:14 AM
The pronunciation of the R varies according to region. In standard French, the final R is actually quite long because it is followed by a silent vowel. It almost sounds as though the E is not silent ...

-- posted by biogardener
9.   Dec 20, 2003 3:38 PM
In response to message posted by biogardener:

The French pronunciation is slightly different from the English because they don't ...

-- posted by Kirk_Johnson
8.   Dec 20, 2003 3:34 AM
The word "parterre" is derived directly from the Latin words "par" meaning "equal" and "terra" meaning "earth, soil, world." The E at the end of the word is silent. Otherwise it sounds the way it lo ...

-- posted by biogardener



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