Dreaming Gardens: Modernizing Israeli Landscape Architecture

Landscape architects in Israel have played a crucial role in the country's development, designing iconic places that have become symbols of the nation. The Valley of the Destroyed Communities at Yad Vashem, Haas-Sherover Promenade in Jerusalem, Ben Gurion's gravesite at Sde Boker, Yarkon Park in Tel Aviv, all of Israel's national parks, university campuses, most kibbutzim, and even entire cities have been planned and designed by Israeli landscape architects. Despite their significant contribution to the national identity, their work is not well-known outside Israel. "Dreaming Gardens" is a groundbreaking book that, for the first time, provides a framework for understanding the impact of landscape architecture on the formation of Israel.

The development of the landscape architecture profession in Israel has closely followed the country's own development. Immigrants brought skills and ideas from the Diaspora, creating a unique opportunity for designers to help shape the national identity. Helphand's clear writing, supported by numerous color illustrations, traces the evolving attitudes of this distinctive culture towards its land, landscapes, communities, and nation.

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