Welcome to the Jungles.

Byline: Charlyne Varkonyi Schaub

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. _ Raymond Jungles is a landscape architect with a distinct signature.

He loves oak trees and hates foundation plantings. He sees water features as the "heart and soul" of the garden. And he uses concrete monoliths as iconic statements.

Even if you can't afford to hire this Miami landscape guru, you'll get inspired by the innovative ideas from his new book, "The Colors of Nature: Subtropical Gardens" by Raymond Jungles (Monacelli Press, $50).

Jungles (yes, that is his real name) has put together a compendium of 24 gardens illustrated by 180 color photographs. The projects range from an informal green space in Panama's Pearl Islands to a home on the Indian River in Stuart, Fla., that features Florida plants and noninvasive species from the tropics and subtropics.

"I like landscapes that aren't fussy," Jungles said. "I do bold, simple, minimalist hardscapes that can stand the test of time and aren't trendy. They are more sculptural and have a …