Garden historian Peter Hayden narrates a comprehensive history of the parks and gardens of Russia, spanning a thousand years from the first Byzantine-influenced gardens in the 10th century AD, through to the present day. Along the way, he discusses the influence of Peter the Great, who introduced ideas, plants and designers from Holland, France and Germany to create St Petersburg's Summer Garden and the great formal garden at Peterhof by the Gulf of Finland. The introduction of the English style of landscaping owed much to Catherine the Great, and British gardeners were recruited to lay out parks for the Empress and rich nobles. With a wealth of illustration and with detailed discussion of some of the most beautiful and historically interesting parks and gardens in the world, this pioneering book promises to become an instant classic.