Sir Joseph Paxton, (born Aug. 3, 1801, near Woburn, Bedfordshire, Eng.--died June 8, 1865, Sydenham, near London), English landscape gardener and designer of hothouses, who was the architect of the Crystal Palace for the Great Exhibition of 1851 in London.

He was originally a gardener employed by the duke of Devonshire, whose friend, factotum, and adviser he became.

When Joseph Paxton was made Head Gardener at Chatsworth House in Derbyshire by the 6th Duke of Devonshire, little did anyone know that he would become the most visionary and influential landscape architect of his time. From his astonishing fountains and waterfalls to his incredible glasshouses and rock gardens, Paxton was a trailblazer. He designed some of the earliest public parks and would eventually become the architect of the Crystal Palace.

For the first time in concise form, this guide brings together the stories behind 12 of his greatest garden features at Chatsworth and explains the horticultural, engineering, and design thinking behind them. It likens Paxton's design approach to that of a theatre director designing a stage set. He used landscape to manipulate our emotions by creating surprise, contrast, mystery, humor, romance, and beauty.

Aimed at landscape garden enthusiasts and written as a portable guide for visitors to Chatsworth, this book includes easily accessible maps that take you straight to Paxton's features.

Buy this book now to understand more.