The Greater Perfection

Book excerpt: The story behind the creation of Les Quatre Vents, one of the world's most breathtaking public gardens. As featured in the 2018 film The Gardener, Les Quatre Vents in Charlevoix County, Quebec, has been acclaimed as the most aesthetically satisfying and horticulturally exciting landscape experience in North America. This twenty-acre garden seamlessly combines traditional elements with original and unexpected touches into a splendid composition that is perfectly compatible with its natural surroundings. The Greater Perfection, first published in 2001, illustrates the delights, diversions, and surprises that await visitors. Francis H. Cabot's account of his challenges in developing Les Quatre Vents reveals the fascinating process behind the creation of a world-class garden that has become a mecca for horticultural enthusiasts from around the globe. Featuring stunning full-color images by five leading garden photographers, The Greater Perfection is one of the most beautiful books on gardens to appear in years. This new printing includes a foreword by Marianne Welch, Cabot's daughter, that contextualizes the gardens further and explores how a place rooted in the past has evolved to confront our current reality, including the effects of climate change.