The West Coast of the United States of America is in many ways a kind of new-found Eden, with its mild Mediterranean climate, its highly diverse vegetation -- indigenous or imported species, giant trees and a multitude of flowers -- as well as the spectacular geological structures of its mountains and canyons. This book features some of the most brilliant landscaping achievements in the states of California, Oregon and Washington: a waste treatment center integrated into the landscape; a residential zone that attempts to blend in totally with its surroundings; downtown plazas reclaimed for general public use; the transformation of former industrial zones into landscaped parks, and stunning private gardens where local species and imported plants come together to enhance fabulous private homes.With many illustrations and a well-documented text by one the finest specialists in American landscape architecture, this book features Lawrence Halprin, Peter Walker, Robert Murase and Martha Schwartz, among others.