Gardens (descriptions, history etc) Books

Book Synopsis'Brings both house and garden vividly to life... A magnificent achievement' Gardens Illustrated 'A finely crafted work... it is an important record of the history of one of the country's most splendid estates' The English Garden The Palladian house of Stourhead, in Wiltshire, occupies a plateau above the confluence of three valleys. When you cross the south lawn and descend the tree-hung slopes, you glimpse a lake adorned with classical temples. Continue and you will find an allegorical grotto; a gothick hideaway; a Pantheon of demi-gods and, on high, a deserted temple to Apollo. To the west Alfred's Tower commands views over three counties, a gaunt landmark to English monarchy and patriotism. This is how in Georgian times Henry Hoare – known as Henry the Magnificent – would have explored the garden he designed. Generations of the Hoare family, bankers who combined service with enlightened patronage and philanthropy, have developed and cultivated the garden at Stourhead, and for many its breathtaking vistas are paradise. Dudley Dodd charts the owners of Stourhead and the history of the landscape, house and art collection. He describes how flights of folly, individual flair, taste and careful stewardship have nurtured a national treasure, which is among the finest English landscape gardens and, since 1946, a jewel of The National Trust. The stunning new pictures by the renowned photographer Marianne Majerus provide an up to date record of this enduring Elysium.Trade ReviewBrings both house and garden vividly to life... It makes for a gripping family saga. What is wonderful about this book is its range [...] and Dodd is especially good at setting the garden in context. A magnificent achievement * Gardens Illustrated *Dodd [is] meticulous and skilful. This is a finely crafted work and its telling illuminated by magnificent images of the property. It makes a wonderful addition to a library but it is also an important record of the history of one of the country's most splendid estates * The English Garden *Going through such a comprehensive account, Dudley Dodd gives the background and context that is needed to fully enjoy this amazing landscape garden, and brings Stourhead's story to alive * Country Gardener *With sketches, plans and stunning photography by the renowned photographer Marianne Majerus, this book will appeal to those who know and love the gardens as well as those who are yet to visit * Wiltshire Living *Dudley Dodd captures the beauty and history of the Palladian jewel in Wiltshire and its colourful owners, the Hoares, who acquired the house in 1717 and used their wealth, creativity and taste to nurture the fine gardens we see today * Daily Mail *Using original and other contemporary artworks and references, a detailed picture of how the owners of Stourhead developed their vision and nurtured it is entertainingly and painstakingly presented * Garden News *A beautiful coffee table book for anyone with a interest in plant and natural photography, the history of British gardens and architecture and more, it comes highly recommended * Amateur Photographer *A beautiful illustrated guide to its history, with photos, plans and sketches of the Eden once described as "more beautiful than any landscape put on canvas"' * i News *Captures the stunning vision of Henry Hoare * The Lady *Written by Dudley Dodd and featuring beautiful new images by renowned photographer Marianne Majerus, Stourhead: Henry Hoare's Paradise Revisited offers a comprehensive visual history of this celebrated landscape, its famous Palladian house and art collection * Outdoor Photography *A book in which there is so much visual richness to enjoy * Home & Garden *Dudley Dodd, a figure from the golden days of the National Trust, is the perfect guide * House & Garden *

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Book Synopsis'A world-renowned horticultural tour de force, Arabella Lennox-Boyd is one of the most accomplished landscape designers of our time' House and Garden 'Arabella Lennox-Boyd's memoir-like account is a complete joy to read as well as to look at... A must' Country Life 'Testament to an extraordinarily creative and blooming life' Tatler Arabella Lennox-Boyd is one of the foremost garden designers in the world. She has created some of the country's most stunning private gardens, in addition to commissions for the Serpentine Sackler Gallery and projects for Sting and Trudie Styler. Looking back over her extraordinary career, Arabella takes us on a tour of the gardens that have had a particular interest or meaning to her. She describes the inspirations that led to the final design and plant combination. Famed for her herbaceous borders and a passionate collector of plants and shrubs, Arabella imparts her expert wisdom on planting and offers practical advice on landscaping. The book will be illustrated with beautiful photography and accompanied by Arabella's sketches and planting plans.Trade ReviewGardens in My Life is a personal journey... Particularly vivid are the descriptions of Arabella's childhood holidays in Oliveto... This instilled in her a deep and lasting love of nature that has provided a rich seam of inspiration. This book is a compelling testament to that' * House & Garden *It's a book that will no doubt adorn the coffee tables in the grand houses she was first inspired by when she arrived in London. And it's a testament to an extraordinarily creative and blooming life * Tatler *Arabella Lennox-Boyd's memoir-like account is a complete joy to read as well as to look at... A must' * Country Life *This beautiful book, by one of the most accomplished garden designers of our time, looks back over Arabella's extraordinary career and the gardens that have had particular interest or meaning to her... Alongside breath-taking photography are Arabella's fascinating sketches and planting plans' * The Home Page *Disarmingly candid memoir from a 'grande dame' of garden design, filled with pragmatic insights into the practical business of being a designer * Gardens Illustrated *[Lennox-Boyd is] an engaging, graceful writer with a straightforward, almost modest style -- Anne Swithinbank, World of InteriorsWildly romantic, atmospheric and often festooned with roses, Arabella Lennox-Boyd designs are celebrated with gusto in this exploration of her work. From her own garden in Tuscany, to those in Britain and beyond, it's heady, aspirational stuff. Wonderful for luxuriating in on a wet winter afternoon, the mix of conversational anecdote and description of the thinking behind each garden makes for an enjoyable read. I particularly appreciated the 'masterplan' overhead drawings, which help the reader to orientate themselves within each garden -- Rachel de Thame, The TimesA nostalgic look back at her career and the private gardens that have had a particular interest or meaning to her * Landscape Magazine *

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Book SynopsisLooks at the gardeners behind public parks and spaces and those whose small private paradises are so entraling, catch some of Angus White's boundless enthusiasm for his architectural plants and even peer over the county fence to look at Derek Jarman's wonderful painterly garden in Dungeness.

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Book SynopsisWhat do the celebrated actors, the bestselling novelist, the Nepalese Sherpa and the famous model have in common? Like millions of us, they love their gardens – and with good reason, too. Gardening is an art form through which we can all express ourselves. In the words of that grande dame of gardeners Penelope Hobhouse, ‘Gardening makes people happy.’ And, as gardening editor of The Sunday Times, Caroline Donald has been allowed beyond the gate of many a private paradise to share this passion. Included in The Generous Gardener are the stories, in words and pictures, of more than forty private gardens, including those belonging to Jim Carter and Imelda Staunton, Jilly Cooper, William Christie, Harrison Birtwistle, Kelly Brook, Natasha Spender, Catherine FitzGerald and Dominic West, Julian and Isabel Bannerman, Penelope Hobhouse, Bob Flowerdew, Roy Lancaster, Luciano Giubbilei, and Dan Pearson.Trade Review"An absorbing and entertaining book...It is a great opportunity to meet some fascinating people and peek into their gardening world. Best of all, you can make a list of even more gardens open to the public so that you can visit them next year to share their joys." -- Matthew Biggs * The Garden *"Gardens are about plants, but they are equally about people. I make no apology for including this title by the gardening editor of this newspaper, as she invites us into the private gardens of the great and the good. And which of us does not enjoy peering over the neighbour's wall?" -- Rachel de Thame * Sunday Times Gardening Books of the Year *"As much about people as it is about flowers...If you can't get to see a place for inspiration, reading about it is the next best thing." -- Mary Keen * Daily Telegraph Gardening Books of the Year *“Her words give a real insight into not only the spaces but the people who created them.” -- Alan Titchmarsh * Waitrose Weekend *"These very personal encounters, each rendered in little more than a thousand words, like miniature paintings, tell us so much…Enjoying my journey through her book I felt at the end that I'd been to a grand garden party, catching up with a few old pals and making several new friends. And I learnt a lot, too - about plants as well as human behaviour in its eternally-confusing diversity." -- David Wheeler * Hortus *"A perfect source of ideas." * The Times *"A perfect antidote to a dull, wet and dreary autumnal day. It’s a pick up and browse gem to lift the spirits and reinforce what we all know – that gardening is good for you!" * Reckless Gardener *"A fascinating read." * House and Garden *“The book reminds us how tenuous a garden’s existence is . . . but this sense of just how ephemeral they are only makes them seem more special.” * Gardens Illustrated *

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Book SynopsisThe ultimate celebration of England’s most gorgeous gardens, showcasing their enduring appeal from historic masterpieces to individual creations of today The English Gardener’s Garden spans seven centuries to spotlight over 60 of England’s finest gardens. Adapted from Phaidon’s bestselling The Gardener’s Garden, updated, and organized geographically by county, the selection ranges from formal Renaissance gardens, herbaceous Arts and Crafts gardens of the 20th century, to artistic creations and healing gardens by contemporary designers. Each entry is illustrated with sumptuous photographs and features a concise text detailing the garden’s historical and stylistic importance and that of its designer, patron, or maker, creating a beautiful and easy-to-use introduction for garden designers and enthusiasts alike. A valuable resource for those seeking inspiration on garden design and planting – and the ideal gift for garden-lovers – this book showcases the enduring appeal of the English garden and features gardens by historic figures and leading contemporary designers – Gertrude Jekyll, Sarah Price, William Robinson, and Tom Stuart-Smith, to name a few. Featuring historic national treasures such as Sissinghurst Castle Garden and Capability Brown’s Blenheim Palace, alongside contemporary examples including Dan Pearson’s Lowther Castle and Derek Jarman’s Prospect Cottage, The English Gardener's Garden is an accessible overview of over 60 iconic and influential English gardens from the sixteenth century to the present day, including all types of garden, including formal parterres, cottage gardens, botanical, and urban gardens. A valuable resource for those seeking inspiration on garden design and planting – and the ideal gift for garden-loversTrade Review‘[Will] provide some excellent inspiration for the green-fingered people in your life.’ – TimeOut'A tribute to Britain's national passion for cultivating ornamental plants.' – NPR.org ‘A welcome addition to any Anglophile gardener’s library. It is part inspirational tome and part armchair travel experience with gorgeous photography to linger over.’ – Gardenista‘A must-have title for gardeners and for those who love viewing the natural beauty that others have primed, nurtured, and developed. A likely favorite in every gardening section.’ – Library Journal

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Book SynopsisWith more than 1,000 images and descriptive texts, this is the ultimate celebration of the world's most gorgeous gardens This internationally bestselling inspirational resource for garden-lovers and designers is now reissued with a gorgeous new cover - bringing the book's winning blend of authority and visual appeal to a new audience. The Gardener's Garden spans seven centuries to spotlight more than 250 of the globe's finest permanent gardens by leading garden designers, horticulturalists, and landscape architects, as chosen by an international team of experts. Gardens of all types and style from across the globe, from the grandeur of Versailles to a private sanctuary in Marrakech, have been brought to life through more than 1,000 sumptuous photographs and detailed descriptive texts by leading garden writers. This is both a valuable resource for those seeking inspiration on garden design and planting and the ideal gift for garden-lovers everywhere.Trade Review'A sensational collection of the world's greatest gardens. Mouthwatering!' - Alan Titchmarsh MBE, British TV presenter, broadcaster, and gardener 'A source of inspiration for some and a practical guide for many, The Gardener's Garden is also a testament to centuries of human passion for the garden.' - Madison Cox, garden designer 'A smorgasbord of a book, a platter offering delights to tease the palate.' - New York Times Book Review 'The 2022 edition dons a new magenta-pink cover but its informative entries remain, each detailing the planting design and features such as garden type, style, size, climate, and more.' - AD Pro 'Comprehensive and informative - not to mention gorgeous!' - Martha Stewart Living 'Features the most eye-catching and inspiring gardens from around the world.' - ELLE Decor 'Many publications have claimed to be the ultimate garden book. This new global survey of gardens may have actually achieved that distinction.' - Garden Design 'Weighty and wonderful, this lavishly illustrated new book will make a handsome gift for the dedicated gardener in your life (or for yourself).' - The American Gardener, The American Horticultural Society 'Horticultural eye candy.' - Globe 'The Gardener's Garden is the ultimate escape for landscape lovers-thumb through the pages and dream.' - Coastal Home 'If you need a bit of persuading to get out into the garden in this crisp spring weather, a new tome from Phaidon won't fail to inspire... A collection of the most outstanding gardens from across the world, lavishly displayed with 1,200 stunning images... Each entry is accompanied by an informative explanation of both design and planting features should you wish to instate at home.' - TheWeek.co.uk 'It's rare to come across a book of such stupendous beauty... A sumptuous treat for anybody with even a passing interest in gardens and gardening; page after page dripping with beautiful photography of breath-taking outdoor spaces from across the world... There is a mix of the famous and obscure, the ancient and the modern, the formal and wild, and even the public and the private... More than just a coffee table tome. The text running down the side of each double-page spread gives all sorts of information about the gardens, how they came to be, and the details of the plants in them.' - CountryLife.co.uk 'If you're longing for life and colour to return to your garden after the long winter months, this will tide you over brilliantly... A beautiful showcase of glorious gardens... The Gardener's Garden will make you long to visit each one and you could well find yourself planning your next holiday around it.' - WI Life (Women's Institute magazine) 'Essential... Full of colour [and] inspiration... Visually splendid.' - Town&Country.co.uk 'There are infinite pleasures that one can take from a garden... 250 permanent gardens from around the world, providing ideas and inspiration for every garden lover.' - Singapore Tatler Homes 'Perhaps the most comprehensive compendium of gardens old, new, near and far' - Elle Decoration 'The finest, most individual gardens around the world... All inspire awe... The far-reaching nature of this book is what sets it apart.' - Homes & Interiors Scotland 'Covers every possible gardening genre... Unlike many coffee table books, it is actively useful, as well as aesthetically pleasing.' - LibertyLondonGirl.com 'An excellent basis for green-fingered tours. Concise texts plus good pictures.' - Financial Times

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Book SynopsisOne of the most admired gardening writers of her generation, Katherine Swift returns to describe a year in the life of her garden she created over twenty years in the grounds of the Dower House at Morville, Shropshire, meditating on everything from the terrain and its history, to the plants and trees, and the odd habits of the animals and humans who inhabit the garden.Following the turning wheel of the Morville seasons, from the green shoots of spring, through summer and autumn, to the stark beauty of winter, and back to spring again, The Morville Year is a journal full of surprises and enchantments that will appeal not only to gardeners, but to all who enjoy the natural world.Trade Review‘You don't need more than a nodding acquaintance with a trowel or a packet of seeds to enjoy this delightful book. With her keen eye, her humour and great breadth of knowledge, Swift's enthusiasm is altogether pleasing' * Daily Telegraph *‘Once again, the charm of Swift's writing is that it combines acute observation of nature, creative day-dreaming and scholarly musing. She addresses us as frankly and as unselfconsciously as a friend. There is something either interesting or useful to know on every page' * Amanda Craig, New Statesman *‘The wonderful thing about these pieces is that they not only describe what is going on in Swift's own garden but range across history, painting, landscape, language, geology, herbalism, cosmology, phenology and literature' * Spectator *

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Book SynopsisIsabel and Julian Bannerman have been described as ‘mavericks in the grand manner, touched by genius’ (Min Hogg, World of Interiors) and ‘the Bonnie and Clyde of garden design’ (Ruth Guilding, The Bible of British Taste). Their approach to design, while rooted in history and the classical tradition, is fresh, eclectic and surprising. Designers to the highest in the land, they have made gardens for the Prince of Wales at Highgrove, Lord Rothschild at Waddesdon Manor, the Duke and Duchess of Norfolk at Arundel Castle in Sussex, John Paul Getty II at Wormsley in Buckinghamshire, the great walled garden at Houghton, home of the Marquess of Cholmondeley, and they designed the British 9/11 Memorial Garden in New York. ‘Their work of grand architectural gestures, of mock ruins and oaken temples has made them famous. But it is the houses and gardens they have made for themselves that … eclipse any of these aristocratic delights’ (Mary Keen, Daily Telegraph). Their garden at Hanham Court near Bath was acclaimed by Gardens Illustrated as the top garden of 2009, ahead of Sissinghurst. When they moved from Hanham it was to the fairytale castle of Trematon overlooking Plymouth Sound, where they have created yet another magical garden. Landscape of Dreams celebrates, in the Bannerman’s inimitable, evocative, humorous and highly personal style, the imaginative and practical process of designing, making and planting all of these gardens, and many more.Trade Review“Successes and failures are happily mulled over, giving real insight into the process that is large scale garden design.” * Topiarius *“The Bannermans’ designs combine monumentality with carefully balanced humour and it’s a pleasure to learn how they come to fruition.” * The Garden *"This lavish book is a portal into a delightful escapist dreamworld. * Telegraph *"We may live in a digital age but still there’s nothing quite like the enduring pleasures of a real gardening book. Among the best of this year’s crop is Landscape of Dreams, a lushly illustrated, beautifully-penned and instructive account of the work of this well-known UK garden design duo." -- Fionnuala Fallon * Irish Times *"Prince Charles has contributed a glowing introduction to their lavishly illustrated book, Landscape of Dreams...fascinating." -- Jane Powers * Sunday Times Ireland *"Nobody makes magic like designer duo Julian and Isabel Bannerman, who have created fabulous, fanciful gardens at Highgrove, Waddesdon Manor and Arundel Castle. The couple’s weighty book, Landscape of Dreams, chronicles these gardens and more, and makes inspiring reading." -- Pattie Barron * Evening Standard 10 of the Best Christmas Gifts for Gardeners *"I just gorged myself on this magnificent book. Utterly transporting. It’s the first gardening book I couldn’t put down." -- Dominic West"An amazing book from cover to beautiful cover...The descriptive writing is very compelling and fuels the imagination...It's a triumph and a revelation to the reader." -- Sue Dickinson"Isabel and Julian Bannerman have turned dreams to ethereal reality time and again. This is a glorious scrapbook-style story of some of their most notable works." * The English Garden *"An absolutely magical book. Such brilliant writing, vivid, engaged . . . this is a most potent record of true brilliance." -- Anna Pavord"Their style is very striking and fantastical...eye-opening browsing." -- David Sexton * Evening Standard Best Gardening Books of 2016 *"The Bannermans are artists but they can also write." -- Ursula Buchan * Spectator *"Weavers of garden fairy tales..." * Homes and Gardens *"This book, a personal account of the couple's key design projects, builds up a picture, both in words and images, of what this special touch involves." * Gardens Illustrated *"A beautifully illustrated and endearing part-biography, part-overview of the thinking behind their work..." -- Caroline Donald * Sunday Times Garden Book of the Year *"A sense of fairy tale defines all [the Bannermans’] projects . . . Included in this book are their projects large and small, from their 1994 Gold Medal winning Chelsea garden to the Highgrove stumpery . . . culminating in their own much loved gardens at Hanham Court and, most recently, Trematon Castle in Cornwall. Beautifully written by Isabel, the book reads like a diary, beginning in their childhoods...Designed by their friend Dunstan Baker, the book is illustrated with their own photographs and drawings, giving it a personal, intimate appeal." -- Clare Foster * House and Garden *"Character oozes through every pore of the book." -- Tim Richardson * Country Life *"Full of wonderful photographs - but do read the writing from the beginning: it's romantic, thoughtful and inspiring." * The Lady *"This glorious book is not only beautiful to look at, it is written in wonderfully descriptive language. I found my head filled with ideas as well as thoughts about what gardening is all about." * Reckless Gardener *"Gloriously illustrated...displays their touches of genius everywhere. The book is ostensibly about gardens, or garden designs, but it is so much more than that. It's about passion, vision, commitment and entertainment, and it's also a glorious celebration of England." -- Sebastian Shakespeare * Tatler *“A record of the grand scale gardens made by these two offbeat visionaries . . . a compelling read." -- Mary Keen * Telegraph *"Packed with sumptuous images of their quirky, stately and inventive British gardens which although largely grand are nonetheless really inspiring." * A Little Bird *'With Julian and Isabel there is a descent from the work of William Kent, the most brilliant and eccentric English designer of the late Baroque. 'Inside' and 'outside' are imagined as one continuous landscape of event and surprise: as theatre, in fact.' -- Jasper Conran

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Book SynopsisAn easy to use guide to over 50 of the finest gardens in Sussex

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Book SynopsisBotanists have been the trailblazers in discovering how plants work to benefit our species, collecting many of the plant-species we find in our gardens today from all around the world. This informative and beautiful guide presents the stories and reveals the secrets of 35 of these botanists, plant collectors and gardening pioneers of the past and present.This includes Joseph Banks, Asa Gray and Marianne North, highlighting the qualities that brought them success. Every botanist included in The Secrets of Great Botanists was, or is, passionate about their particular specialty. Whether they were searching for plants in wild places, prescribing herbal medicines or forming new structures of plant classification, they were driven by an insatiable desire to learn and discover, so that we, as humans, might benefit from improved crops, medicines or gardens.Through the vibrancy of botanical photographs and beautifully illustrated period botanical watercolours, this book aims to teach re

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Book SynopsisGardens take many forms, and have a variety of functions. They can serve as spaces of peace and tranquilty, a way to cultivate wildlife, or as places to develop agricultural resources. Globally, gardens have inspired, comforted, and sustained people from all walks of life, and since the Garden of Eden many iconic gardens have inspired great artists, poets, musicians, and writers. In this Very Short Introduction, Gordon Campbell embraces gardens in all their splendour, from parks, and fruit and vegetable gardens to ornamental gardens, and takes the reader on a globe-trotting historical journey through iconic and cultural signposts of gardens from different regions and traditions. Ranging from the gardens of ancient Persia to modern day allotments, he concludes by looking to the future of the garden in the age of global warming, and the adaptive spirit of human innovation. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Trade ReviewA clear and comprehensively written account of the history of gardens. The result couldnt be more refreshing. [...] From parks and fruit and vegetable gardens to ornamental and formal gardens, he provides a concise and easily readable narrative of their evolution. The result, although described as short, is absolutely perfect, providing an overview of garden history that is succinct, comprehensive and readable. * Patrice Todisco, Landscape Notes *A useful overview. * Mary Davies, The Irish Garden *A joy to read * Suffolk and Norfolk Life *The text is lucid, scholarly and, above all, highly readable. Linking together the famous names in horticulture past and present and offering up a coherent story, this is a book to browse and learn from and I suspect it will become well-thumbed. A short history it may be, but it is thorough and good. * Buckinghamshire Life Magazine *a globe-trotting magical history tour * Leon Burakowski, Express & Star *Condensed guide to garden history * Garden (Royal Horticultural Society) *One of the nicest little books I've had in my hands for ages ... it is the overall sweep of the book that impresses * Gillian Mawrey, Historic Gardens Review *As informative as it is accessible, this compact and expertly researched historical chronicle surprises and delights. * Georgina Chahed, Garden Design Journal *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1: The ancient and medieval garden 2: The Islamic garden 3: The east Asian garden 4: Italy 5: France 6: Spain and Portugal 7: Northern Europe 8: Britain 9: America, Africa, and Australia Postscript: the future history of the garden Glossary Further reading Index of people and places

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Book SynopsisA unique celebration of gardening written by an award-winning novelistDespite the fact that she has only six square metres of grubby urban soil and a few pots, Charlotte Mendelson has a secret life. She is an extreme gardener, an obsessive, an addict. And like all addicts, she wants to spread the joy.Beginning with Late Winter, Charlotte takes the reader through her gardening year, via Wasting Money Wisely (the lure of the seed packet), Thirty-Three Alternatives to Lettuce (the greatest salads don''t need bacon or croutons), Tree Envy (dreams of owning a plum tree), and Fantasy (gardening is an unfulfilled fantasy, never disappointing and always a source of perfect, fruitful happiness). Inspiration for city-dwellers and the many people with small spaces to garden.''An extremely entertaining and inspiring story of one woman''s passionate transformation of a smal

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Book SynopsisArchitects, landscape architects and urban designers experiment with color and lighting effects in their daily professional practice. Over the past decade, there has been a reinvigorated discussion on color within architectural and cultural studies. Yet, scholarly enquiry within landscape architecture has been minimal despite its important role in landscape design. This book posits that though color and lighting effects appear natural, fleeting, and difficult to comprehend, the sensory palette of built landscapes and gardens has been carefully constructed to shape our experience and evoke meaning and place character. Landscape Design in Color: History, Theory, and Practice 1750 to Today is an inquiry into the themes, theories, and debates on color and its impact on practice in Western landscape architecture over the past three centuries. Divided into three key periods, each chapter in the book looks at the use of color in the written and built work of key prominTrade Review"Mira Engler takes a hearty bite into a space within design that is very rarely discussed: COLOR. Color generates the same disquietude as the topic of beauty, as it’s assumed to be too qualitative within the design profession. Beauty or color are not considered an acceptable form of "vision," but rather irrational, dispensable, and irrelevant in addressing important landscape and environmental issues. Color is even more threatening to clients, especially white men of European descent, who feel it could erode their appearance of being responsible and trustworthy. Women, who are viewed as more frivolous and less responsible, have some latitude with color. But not much. The lack of color discourse underscores how deeply cultural and personal the topic can be. And although most designers shun color and most clients make immediate unfavorable judgements about it, none has the power to ignore it. Reacting to color is in our DNA. The book is a wonderful read. It shares many stories about the impact and glory of color in landscape design, and it shows how color is a strong medium of communication and a chief signifier within world’s cultures. I suggest you read this book and let your freak flag fly!"Martha Schwartz, Martha Schwartz Partners, Professor in Practice of Landscape Architecture, Harvard University Graduate School of Design "Mira Engler’s marvelous book empowers us to understand and shape the world through color. Color is at landscape architecture’s heart affecting perceptions of depth, space, and identity, yet color’s agency is rarely discussed or even acknowledged. Providing a much-needed chromatic overview of landscape history, theory, and practice, Engler’s book bravely tackles a considerable void in landscape knowledge and makes the convincing case for color in landscape architecture and design. This colorful book is a joy to read."Gareth Doherty, Associate Professor of Landscape Architecture, Harvard University Graduate School of Design. Author of Paradoxes of Green: Landscapes of a City-State "In Landscape Design in Color, Mira Engler offers us new vistas, taking in the designed environment as well as the cultures they reflect. She breathes new life into old concepts central to art and design disciplines, such as disegno vs. colore, while her discussions of contemporary artists and designers provide points of connection to audiences well outside her field. Engaging with enduring theoretical debates as well as more current treatments of race and gender, this is interdisciplinarity at its most exciting and relevant."Aaron Fine, Professor of Art, Truman State University. Author of Color Theory: A Critical Introduction Table of ContentsPart I: Pre-Modernism 1. Structural Color: Uniform Verdure, Humphry Repton (1752–1818) 2. Artificial Color: Bright and Complementary, J. C. Loudon (1783–1843) 3. Color as Impression: Graduated Harmony, William Robinson (1838–1935) and Gertrude Jekyll (1843–1932) Part II: Modernism 4. Material and Phenomenal Color: Simultaneous Contrast, Gabriel Guevrekian (1900–70) 5. Spatial Color: A-Chrome, Garrett Eckbo (1910–2000) 6. Symphony of Color: Tropical Saturation, Roberto Burle Marx (1909–94) Part III: Postmodernism, Onward 7. Conceptual Color: Purely Synthetic, Martha Schwartz (b. 1950) 8. Affective Light Color: Translucence, Petra Blaisse (b. 1955) 9. Color Now: Gender, Skin, and Screen Postscript: Color Prospects

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Book SynopsisThe story of Londonâs largest Royal ParkTrade ReviewErudite and informative. * The Good Book Guide *This book, like the author's previous volume on Regent's Park, serves as a reminder of the twists of history that many parks have gone through before achieving their current status - as well as providing an interesting insight into some of the people involved.

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Book SynopsisFrom the acclaimed author of the Cazalet Chronicles, Elizabeth Jane Howard, Green Shades: An Anthology of Plants, Gardens and Gardeners brings together a diverse and fascinating selection of garden writing that spans the centuries, the seasons and the species.Elizabeth Jane Howard once said that she would certainly have been a gardener had she not become a writer first. This collection is a testament to that passion.The contents are delightfully eclectic and wide-ranging, practical as well as lyrical – she pays homage to the great English landscape artists of the eighteenth century and to the great women gardeners such as Vita Sackville-West. There’s advice from Pliny on how walnuts can be used to dye hair and Joseph Addison encourages blackbirds to gorge on his cherry trees. Linking the numerous extracts is Elizabeth Jane Howard’s perceptive and highly personal commentary, which skilfully leads the reader from one subject to the next.Part of the Macmillan Collector’s Library; a series of stunning, pocket-sized classics with ribbon markers. These beautiful books make perfect gifts or a treat for any book lover.Trade ReviewA lovely gift for a garden lover * Good Housekeeping *[Elizabeth Jane Howard's] talent seemed so effervescent, so unstoppable, that there was no predicting where it might take her. -- Hilary Mantel, author of Wolf Hall

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Book SynopsisDiscover Jane Austen's real-life inspiration for Darcy's Pemberley.Follow Alan into Chatsworth's irresistible world of visionaries, pioneers, heroes, villains and English eccentrics, and celebrate the men and women who have shaped the history of the estate over five centuries. With his passionate knowledge of both the house and gardens, as well as his long-established relationship with the Cavendish family, Alan is the perfect guide with whom to explore the Palace of the Peaks.Featuring stunning, specially commissioned photography of the gardens and parkland, alongside long-forgotten images and memorabilia newly unearthed in the estate archives, this vivid companion, crowded with character and colour, is a book to treasure and revisit over and over again.

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Book SynopsisThe book showcases these unique artworks in their different mediums as they are exhibited in the Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art. Serving as a guide and keepsake, Petrichor is the perfect takeaway from Collishaw’s exciting exhibition. Highlights include the UK premier of Even to the End, a large-scale projected work that immerses viewers in a sequence inspired by the invention of the Wardian Case, The Centrifugal Soul, a zoetrope displaying bird courtship against a backdrop of blooming flowers and The Albion, an eerie spectre of an oak tree suspended between life and death.

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Book SynopsisKiftsgate Court, perched on the northern edge of the Cotswolds Hills in Gloucestershire, is a garden composed of many different scenes. Some elements - the bluebell wood, the clipped hedging and the rose border, with its famously huge Kiftsgate rose - are traditionally English, but there are also areas of Italianate planting and terracing, and others where a mixture of perennials, roses and rare and exotic shrubs thrive side by side. Equally remarkable is the fine balance between continuity and gentle evolution that the visitor finds at Kiftsgate. This is largely because the garden has belonged to the same family since its creation 100 years ago. Three women have tended Kiftsgate, each one its driving force for a third of a century, and each building on the legacy of the previous generation. In 1919 Heather Muir and her husband, Jack, bought the house, which stands on a relatively narrow plateau from which a bank plunges 100 feet. Heather gave Kiftsgate its structure, laying out the semi-formal gardens by the house, planting the tapestry hedge and rose garden, and terracing the banks. In 1954 Heather was succeeded by her daughter, Diany Binny, who extended and developed her mother's planting, made more borders and paths, and refashioned the White Sunk Garden. Since the late 1980s Diany's daughter, Anne Chambers, has been at the helm, further modernizing the garden and its planting, creating new areas of interest, and opening more often to the public. As Robin Lane Fox, who has written the foreword, comments: `There is nowhere else in Britain that has such a family tradition of planting and dedication ... It is intimate but many-sided, evolving but with roots in a remarkable past.' This beautiful new book - the first dedicated to Kiftsgate - is structured in two main parts. For the first, `The History', Vanessa Berridge has had exclusive access to the Kiftsgate archive, which contains not only family photographs but also letters from their gardening friends, helping us to understand why and how Heather, Diany and Anne have gardened. Among the circle of friends and acquaintances who feature are Lawrence Johnston of Hidcote Manor (Kiftsgate's neighbour); Vita Sackville-West, the creator of Sissinghurst Castle Garden; and the horticulturalist Graham Stuart Thomas, gardens adviser to the National Trust. The second part of the book takes the reader on an extended tour of the garden, illustrated by the glorious photography of Sabina Ruber. The tour concludes with notes on Kiftsgate's signature plants and Anne Chambers's personal reflections on this, one of the great gardens of England.Table of ContentsForeword by Robin Lane Fox Introduction The History: Early Kiftsgate Heather Muir: An Eye for Colour Diany Binny: A Practical Plantswoman Anne Chambers: The Modernizing Spirit The Garden: Arrival at Kiftsgate and Bluebell Wood House and Side Lawn Four Squares Wide Border White Sunk Garden Bridge Border Rose Border Fern Border and Wild Flower Corner Water Garden Yellow Border North Border The Banks Lower Garden Orchard, Mound and Tulip Avenue Timeline The 'Kiftsgate' Rose Kiftsgate's Signature Plants Afterword by Anne Chambers Select Bibliography Acknowledgements Index

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Book SynopsisWithout Nancy Tennant, Humphrey Waterfield's exquisite horticultural creations might never have existed. The two of them were life-long partners and together created 'the most beautiful small garden in England' at Hill Pasture in Essex and collaborated on the restoration of the gardens at Le Clos du Peyronnet, Menton, France. It was Nancy who kept Hill Pasture going during the Second World War, and this garden and subsequently Le Clos became their earthly paradise, publicly acclaimed works of art and a consolation for the loss and trauma of their pasts. The gardens were a smokescreen for their deepest feelings, but one day, the smoke would begin to clear and the truth of who and how they really loved would be plain to see. It wasn't what it appeared to be, at all. This challenging love story of paradise lost, found and lost again is set against the backdrop of the 20th century, the traumas of two world wars, polarised British politics, the changing position of women in society, and the transformative power of nature's beauty on the human heart.

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Book SynopsisThis beautifully illustrated book presents a history of our relationship with nature, beginning with the civilisations of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, when gardens served as 'the dwelling place of the gods'. Tracing this history through subsequent epochs, the author shows how human awareness of the divine presence in nature was gradually eclipsed. As nature came to be viewed primarily as a physical resource to be controlled and exploited by us, this was reflected in the ordered, rational designs imposed on such gardens as Versailles. More recently, gardening has come to be seen less as an instrument of control than as an art in its own right, enhancing nature's inherent beauty. Jeremy Naydler suggests that the future of gardening lies not simply in its being regarded as an art but as a sacred art, which once again honours and works with the spiritual dimension intrinsic to nature.Trade Review'The main thrust of this profound and inspiring volume is to remind us that gardens are essentially sacred spaces in which we may work together with Nature in order that we may help her - and ourselves in the process - express more fully the divine presence hidden within the heart of her outward beauty.' (Resurgence)Table of ContentsAcknowledgments - Introduction: A Tension Unresolved - Chapter 1: The Garden in Antiquity - Chapter 2: The Garden in the Middle Ages - Chapter 3: From the Renaissance to the Eighteenth Century - Chapter 4: The Gardener as Artist - Chapter 5: Gardening as a Sacred Art - Illustration Sources - Bibliography - Notes - Index

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Book SynopsisHow to Read Gardens is the essential guide for garden lovers and visitors alike. Visiting gardens has never been more popular but not many of us understand what we are looking at when strolling through a beautiful garden - are we looking at an original landscaped site or a recreation? Is the planting matter authentic or made up of modern hybrids? Are the steps and terracing in the Italianate style or are they Arts and Crafts? The truth is that most gardens of any age are like a palimpsest: successive generations have changed and influenced the soft and hard fabric of the place over time. Inevitably many of the gardens we wander through today are an amalgam of changing fashions and circumstance. How to Read Gardens gives you all the knowledge you need to tease out the clues that will tell you the complete story of a garden's past. From the grandest estate to the smallest suburban plot, this book will enliven and inform every visit.Trade ReviewThis handy pocket sized guidebook would be a useful companion for visitors to any garden, great or small, historic or modern, public or private. * Countryman *This attractive and lavishly illustrated book is an ideal present for friends who claim not to know much about the history of gardens, but delight in visiting them * Cornwall Garden Trust Journal *Table of ContentsForeword Introduction Types of Garden Styles of Garden Trees Plants & Flowers Landscape Features Garden Buildings Features Appendices Glossary Resources Index Acknowledgements

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Book SynopsisDiscover 60 of the world's most spectacular gardens plus 120 travel ideas to ignite a love of outdoor spaces. Featuring the history of every botanical gem, beautiful photography and trip planning tips, this uplifting book explores the restorative effects of flora and fauna, and the joy to be experienced from each of the inspiring gardens inside it.Walk spellbinding nature trails at the Desert Botanical Garden in Arizona, US; wander the stone paths of Japan's infamous Kenroku-en Garden; or steal away to a subtropical retreat just off the coast from Glengarriff, Ireland. In-depth garden profiles, Q&As with experts, and personal accounts from writers who have experienced the magic of each destination accompany the mesmerising gardens inside this book, so that you can learn just why each idyllic sanctuary is so joyful.Inside The Joy of Exploring Gardens:- 60 in-depth profiles of gardens illustrated with beautiful photography; a Q&A section where you can read the insights and thoughts from an expert closely linked to the garden; and first-hand accounts from writers who have visited each outdoor space- 120 extra must-visit garden destinations from all over the world- At-a-glance reasons to go that offer a glimpse into what you can expect to find in each garden from water features to rainforest walks; city views to upcycled sculptures- Accessibility awareness including an overview of the path and ground conditions and the availability of accessible toilets and other amenities for visitors with disabilities and mobility issues- In the know tips to help you get there including local transport, when to go, what to take with you, must-do activities, and experiences not to be missed- Covers global garden destinations including Africa & the Middle East, Americas, Asia, Europe, Oceania- Foreword by Lyanda Lynn Haupt, author, naturalist, ecophilosopher, and speaker. Her latest book is Rooted: Life at the Crossroads of Science, Nature, and Spirit.Do more of what you love with our uplifting Joy of series and nurture your biggest passions. The Joy of Exploring Gardens is the ultimate gift book for the horticulturist in your life or a wonderful treat to inspire your next joyful garden adventure to a paradisiacal wonder or secret botanical gem.About Lonely Planet: Lonely Planet, a Red Ventures Company, is the world's number one travel guidebook brand. Providing both inspiring and trustworthy information for every kind of traveller since 1973, Lonely Planet reaches hundreds of millions of travellers each year online and in print and helps them unlock amazing experiences. Visit us at lonelyplanet.com and join our community of followers on Facebook (facebook.com/lonelyplanet), Twitter (@lonelyplanet), Instagram (instagram.com/lonelyplanet), and TikTok (@lonelyplanet).'Lonely Planet. It's on everyone's bookshelves; it's in every traveller's hands. It's on mobile phones. It's on the Internet. It's everywhere, and it's telling entire generations of people how to travel the world.' – Fairfax Media (Australia)

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Book SynopsisFollowing on from the success of Garden Tourism this latest offering New Directions in Garden Tourism provides an update on the statistics and growth of the global phenomenon of garden visitation. It delves in to new themes and contemporary trends, from art and culture, to psychographic profiling of visitors and how social media and semiotics are used to enrich visitor experience and fuel motivation. In addition to new topics, the book also provides expansion of chapters previously touched upon in Garden Tourism such as the continued rise in urban gardens, events, and garden economics. · Update on visitor statistics · New case studies throughout · Full colour images This new book provides a wealth of information for garden managers and tourism students. It is written in an engaging-style that will also appeal to casual readers interested in gardens.Table of Contents1: Introduction: Philosophy of New Directions in Garden Tourism 2: Gardens Around the World, 2013–2019 3: New Directions in Gardens 4: New Audiences for Gardens 5: The New Media Landscape 6: Tourists in the Garden; Human Health and Happiness and the Semiotics of Garden Visiting 7: Events and Festivals 8: Impacts of Botanic Gardens: Economic, Social, Environmental and Health 9: Urban Garden Tourism 10: Gardens and Historic Homes; New Directions in Historic Garden Tourism 11: Future Directions 12: The Effect of the Coronavirus on Garden Tourism

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisThe Sunday Times Gardening Book of the Year 2019 In Scent Magic, a book which is at once romantic and extremely practical, plantswoman, designer and garden-maker extraordinaire Isabel Bannerman immerses the reader in the luscious smells of the fragrant garden through a warmly written account of her year’s gardening; and combines this with an encyclopaedic reference work of the best aromatic plants to grow throughout the seasons. Whether evoking the freshly baked sponge smell emanating from wisteria, describing ‘Stanwell Perpetual’ as "the kind of rose that would taste of apricot and raspberries swirled together", or championing the magic of the Himalayan cowslip, "scented profoundly and deliciously like the dark vault of a Damascus spice merchant’" the glorious poetry of her descriptions is here joined with personal memories and a lifetime’s experience of gardening and plant cultivation.Trade Review"Essentially Scent Magic is a series of musings: lyrical, intimate, unique, often random, always interesting...part private reflection, part plant history. In her preface Bannerman warns: 'information is everywhere, information is cheap, so this book is not really about information...the intention is simply to encourage curiosity.' In that she succeeds brilliantly." -- Katie Campbell * Hortus *"A gloriously sensual diary of her garden’s smells, magically charting the turning of a growing year from the intense frankincense-like perfume of the winter-flowering witchhazel, Hamamelis ‘Advent’, to the sweet summer fruitiness of honeysuckle. A book to treasure." * Irish Times Gardening Books of the Year *"There's a runaway winner among the gardening books this year: Scent Magic: Notes from a Gardener. It's intoxicating; there's never been a book quite like it...Any gardener will come away from this book full of excited plans for planting but it is no less enthralling for those who merely enjoy gardens, those who have sensuality in life, which is to say, this book would make a genuinely life-enhancing present for almost anybody." -- David Sexton * Evening Standard Best Gardening Books for 2019 *"Highly poetic...Isabel Bannerman has written a book that almost incidentally describes plants' perfumes while giving a massively informative tour of her garden and of garden plants in general. She is the perfect hostess - intelligent, travelled, well-connected, charming, intimate, wry, a hard-drinking and altogether delightful character." * The Times *"In this lyrical book, [Bannerman] leads us by the nose...writing the way she plants, to lush effect. The photographs...and plant portraits are wondrous." * Saga magazine *"The author explores the smells of the plant kingdom in her own inimitable style, combining poetic descriptions with hands-on, practical knowledge." * Irish News Best Gardening Books of the Year *"Sumptuous." * The Herald (Scotland) *"I was thoroughly transported...it’s as much a memoir through a lifetime of appreciating the fragrance of the seasons as it is a plant guide. This is a beautiful and moving book, something to linger over, to cherish — and to remind us, as Bannerman writes, 'this is a great day to inhale'." * The New York Times Book Review *"Part diary and part practical guide to perfumed plants, illustrated with [the author's] own photographs, it is a dream of a book, wandering off down scented pathways of memories, moods and moments past." * Sunday Times - Gardening Book of the Year *"Follows its nose to some intriguing places." * Evening Standard *"Evocative descriptions of favourite scented plants are interspersed through the diary-like text, with the author's own photographs lighting up the pages. A book to lose yourself in." * House & Garden *"There hasn't been a decent book on the notoriously elusive and subjective topic of garden scents for more than 20 years, so it is pleasant to be able wholeheartedly to recommend Scent Magic...a stylish, highly personal, scientifically illuminating account - part diary, part plant description - of her encounters with scented plants, both actual and in memory, through the course of one year." -- Ursula Buchan * Spectator *"Part-practical handbook, part-autobiography, part-philosophical reflection on art and Nature...this book is an absolute feast, not only for gardeners, but for anyone interested in art and Nature and in living well." -- John Hoyland * Country Life *"A collection of notes, memories and beautifully detailed observations of fragrance throughout the year....This has to be one of the most beautifully written pieces I have read in a long time...it brings to mind the writing of Vita Sackville West. The book is illustrated with gorgeous garden photography by the author and many of Isabel's striking botanical portraits. Scent Magic is a wonderfully romantic book and should sit on the book shelf of anyone who likes to sit and bask in the seasons as they pass. It is a love letter to the easily missed details in the gardening year and shows how plants can seep into every corner of life." * Gardens Illustrated *

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Book Synopsis'A glorious green adventure story.' Ann Treneman, The Times 'Books of the Year''The most enthralling historical book I’ve read this year.' Claire Tomalin, New Statesman 'Books of the year' Daringly innovative when it opened in 1848, the Palm House in Kew Gardens remains one of the most beautiful glass buildings in the world today. Seemingly weightless, vast and yet light, the Palm House floats free from architectural convention, at once monumental and ethereal. From a distance, the crowns of the palms within are silhouetted in the central dome; close to, banana leaves thrust themselves against the glass. To enter it is to enter a tropical fantasy. The body is assaulted by heat, light and the smell of damp vegetation. In Palace of Palms, Kate Teltscher tells the extraordinary story of its creation and of the Victorians’ obsession with the palms that filled it. It is a story of breathtaking ambition, of scientific discovery and, crucially, of the remarkable men whose vision it was. The Palm House was commissioned by the charismatic first Director of Kew, Sir William Hooker, designed by the audacious Irish engineer, Richard Turner, and managed by Kew’s forthright curator, John Smith, who battled with boilers and floods to ensure the survival of the rare and wondrous plants it housed.Trade ReviewThe most enthralling historical book I’ve read this year. -- Claire Tomalin * New Statesman 'Books of the year' *Teltscher skilfully brings to life the human story behind the growth of Kew and the creation of its extraordinary centrepiece. What's more remarkable, however, is her command of the details of the new technology that went into the construction of the Palm House . . . she makes such matters unexpectedly fascinating. * Literary Review *A fascinating and rip-roaring account of the building of one of the great – and experimental – glass buildings of the Victorian age. * Daily Telegraph *A glorious green adventure story. -- Ann Treneman * The Times 'Books of the Year' *Stories of botanical exploration are combined with biographies of the characters behind the famous building, transporting the reader to 19th-century London and the countries that supplied the palms for the glasshouse. One can only marvel at the scale of the achievement and feel humbled by how much we owe to the enslaved peoples who enabled countless plants to be brought to our shores from the colonies. -- Rachel de Thame * Sunday Times *The fascinating story of one of the greatest showpieces of Victorian Britain: the Palm House in Kew Gardens. -- Sam Leith * Spectator *The story of the creation of the Palm House and the men whose vision it was, are engrossingly told. * Choice Magazine 'Hardback Book of Month' *I stand corrected by this exhilarating book - but also delighted, astounded and vastly entertained . . . This is gardening history at its best - a sparkling window on the colourful and contradictory Victorian era. -- Ambra Edwards * The Garden *This beautifully crafted book invokes a world of breathtaking Victorian engineering, glass houses and lush tropical vegetation to tell a tale of exploration, botanical science and the making of new imaginaries. -- Vinita Damodaran, Professor of South Asian History and Director, Centre for World Environmental History, University of SussexLively . . . vividly drawn . . . Wearing her research lightly, Teltscher tells her tale of politicking and financial wrangles, domestic tragedies and epic plant hunting expeditions with a pace and vibrancy more commonly found in novels than in academic study. * Gardens Illustrated *Kate Teltscher skilfully distils the historical facts of the creation of the Palm House into a piece of storytelling that is difficult to put down. * English Garden *Truly, this is a work of which all interested in the history of natural history and the history of botany should immediately take note. -- Johannes E. Riutta * The Well-read Naturalist *The story of its [the Palm House's] creation and the plant collections in it encompass all the qualities that make a great story: personal ambition, disagreements, eccentricity, struggles, fashions, fights and ultimately a building that triumphs. * This England *Not since Anna Pavord's The Tulip has a book so brilliantly captured the spirit of its subject. Kate Teltscher's Palace of Palms is a glorious headrush into Victorian history via one of the most iconic and beautiful glasshouses in the world. This is a bright, shining jewel of a book, a hedonists' delight and an escapists' antidote to the humdrum. -- Amanda ForemanIn this fascinating book, Kate Teltscher introduces us not just to the Palm House at Kew, but to the world of the palm. In so doing, she roams from botany and horticulture, through plant hunting expeditions and literary traditions, to engineering and architecture. Some of the people met on this journey are the privileged members of society, some technical geniuses, others working men who toiled in gruelling conditions to transport a tropical world to Victorian London. -- Margaret Willes, author of The Gardens of the British Working ClassTeltscher is a remarkable new historian . . . wholly original -- William DalrympleThis book gives a marvelous glimpse into a lost and luscious Victorian world, peopled not only with plants but with energetic, ambitious - and sometimes frankly bonkers - characters. -- Lucy WorsleyKate Teltscher’s highly readable account breathes life into the key characters and events that shaped the remarkable evolution of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew during the 19th century, and its most iconic building, the Palm House. -- Toby MusgraveThe Palm House is unarguably the iconic building at Kew Gardens, and in my opinion, the most beautiful glasshouse in the world. The Victorians created this glorious temple to house their precious palms and today, 170 years later, it continues to delight and awe millions of visitors every year. This book tells its story. -- Richard Deverell, Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, KewThe Palm House at Kew has been a world attraction since it was opened in 1848 - and Kate Teltscher's brilliantly researched account of the botanists and architects responsible is as thrilling as a novel. -- Claire TomalinThe establishment of Kew Gardens and the building of the great Palm House is a most remarkable story, that touches on every aspect of 19th century life. Kate Teltscher knows it all – the politics, the science, the engineering – and writes about it with effortless elegance to weave the most wonderfully compelling narrative. -- Michael Frayn

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Book SynopsisAn exploration of gardens through the ages and across the globe in 366 daily entries, from the ancient hanging gardens of Babylon to a vegetable plot on the International Space Station. In this fascinating and beautifully illustrated collection, garden writer Ruth Chivers presents a garden for every day of the year. It’s a sumptuous journey through garden history, design, horticulture, literary inspiration, folklore and poetry. From Sissinghurst to Versailles, from the medieval poem 'The Romance of the Rose' to the latest horticultural details of a rewilded garden, from imaginary gardens in literature to the real gardens that inspired Van Gogh and Orwell, here are absorbing garden stories for the whole year. Botanical paintings sit next to historic plans and the very best garden photography. The entries are annotated with intriguing facts and inspiring ideas, telling the stories of gardens past, present and even future. A true celebration of gardens, A Garden A Day is a beautiful and essential book for any gardener that brings home the wonder of these spaces to all of us.

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Book SynopsisThe productive garden at Lord Rothschild’s private house, Eythrope in Buckinghamshire, is legendary in the garden world for the excellence of the gardening and as a haven for traditional techniques that might otherwise be lost. Under the leadership of the renowned head gardener, Sue Dickinson, now retired, and the current head gardener, Suzie Hanson, this garden works on a scale that is now rare, producing, year-round, all the fruit, vegetables and flowers for a country house where entertaining still happens on a grand scale and where everything is done to the highest standards. Paradise and Plenty opens a window on a garden that has, until now, been kept intensely private, and on a world beyond most gardeners’ dreams. But in this book everything shown is useful as well as beautiful. Gregory Long points out in his introduction that as more and more people turn to growing their own, books are needed that show the techniques of dedicated cultivation, as well as the results. Many of the techniques used at Eythrope are old and tried, but have fallen out of use almost everywhere else. Others have been adopted more recently, as careful trials have proved their worth. If you want techniques for preparing soil, growing herbs, pruning apple trees, training roses, planting bulbs in pots or propagating many different plants, or which are the best tried and tested tomatoes, snowdrops or chrysanthemums to plant, you’ll find out here. In the words of the author herself, ‘This book has to be how as well as wow.’Trade Review"An inspiring book, describing the use of traditional techniques and giving valuable new tips and tricks, this will appeal to all gardeners at all levels." * Professional Gardener * “I particularly like...the generosity that gives author, photographer and garden the space to breathe” * Saga magazine *"This is a book to inspire perfection, not to incite envy." * Historic Gardens Review *"This is an exceptional book, not to be missed." -- Anna Pavord * The Garden *"This is an exceptional book, brilliant in all departments – writing, photography, design and production." -- Anna Pavord * Independent *"A handsome volume, both coffee-table book and practical manual." * Spectator *"Beautiful photographs...Like the garden, very well presented." * Ham & High *"Makes what might seem an exclusive world completely approachable and inspiring to every gardener." -- David Sexton * Evening Standard Best Gardening Books of 2015 *"If you want to know how to grow peaches, melons or superb herbaceous borders in beautifully matched colours, let alone every kind of vegetable and edible cherry, there are details here that no other gardening book in print is able to pass on." -- Robin Lane Fox * Financial Times *"The newly-minted British publishing house Pimpernel Press has produced a clutch of excellent gardening books....A book as beautifully and incisively written as this, so filled with detail, careful observations and with lavish photography by Tom Hatton, must also, you feel, have taken much time to create." * Irish Times *"Action heroine of the year is Sue Dickinson, head gardener at Jacob Rothschild's Eythrope, the subject of Mary Keen's Paradise and Plenty." -- Christopher Woodward * Evening Standard *"Not just a celebration of perfection but a meticulous set of instructions for achieving it..The ultimate pleasure of her book is that Mary Keen is a very good writer...This perfect book is not cheap, but it should feature prominently on every gardener's Christmas wish list." * The Lady *"We might not all be Rothschild rich, but we can all learn something for our own little paradises." * Sunday Times *"Gloriously illustrated." * Woman and Home *"More than a spectacular picture book." * Evening Standard *"Elegantly produced with family archive material and photographs by Tom Hatton (some resplendently reproduced on double gatefolds) that really help to explain why this garden is not just important, but how it continues as a prime example of Britain's very best gardening practices." -- David Wheeler * Hortus *"Alongside Keen's hugely informative text, there are beautiful photographs...Eythrope has 'always been intensely private', so this book gives a rare opportunity to look over the walls and learn about this secret garden." * The Oldie *"This feast of a book is my favourite in a distinguished year for gardening books. It is one that I shall keep readily to hand, to refer to for the definitive advice on the 'how' of successful gardening, and to enjoy the 'wow' that is the result." -- Sarah Langton-Lockton * The Lady *"Crisp, clear prose...beautifully illustrates...The book gives a rare and profound understanding of the sophistication of gardening at its most masterly. It is inspiring." -- Kim Wilkie * House & Garden *"Mary Keen’s Paradise and Plenty, published by Pimpernel Press Ltd is my Book of the Year. This book, written as a record of the garden in its twenty-fifth year, will be cherished for years to come as a record of a great garden." -- Val Bourne * Oxford Times *“More than a vicarious look over the walls – it is a record of tried and tested traditional and modern techniques.” * Country Living *"This luxurious book is an unusual mixture of tribute and manual. Fascinating...Keen's style is accessible, compelling and fact-packed." * Garden Design Journal *"In the charmless age of the Kindle, this is a welcome reminder of how beautiful an object a book can be. Tom Hatton’s photographs - both colour and black and white - are seductive: especially glorious is a range of fold-out spreads depicting the same scene at different seasons. The paper is heavy and glossy, the layout elegant and spacious; there are decorative endpapers and silken bookmarks - all admirably in keeping with the subject, which is gardening done as it used to be done, as well as it can be done, with no effort or expense spared." * Gardens Illustrated *"Much more than just a coffee table book, Mary gives a detailed account of techniques used. The Rothschilds' Paradise Garden is very grand indeed, but Mary's down-to-earth approach means there is plenty of practical advice in this book. Sumptuous illustrations include flaps of pictures which open to reveal the same view at different seasons or in close-up. Mary is as good a writer as she is a gardener, so vegetable and flower growers, armchair gardeners and garden historians alike will all find much to interest them in this fascinating book." * The English Garden *"A unique opportunity to see how fruit, vegetables and flowers are grown in the traditional way for a country house whose owners entertain on a pre-war grand scale. Forget Downton, this is the real time machine....Such a handsome book...packed with practical information and guidance. Any gardener would improve their own plot after reading this book." * Daily Telegraph *"Stunning...This book will satisfy garden historians and professional gardeners. While not a practical how-to since the scale is so vast and the garden is well staffed, this title will provide home gardeners with a tip or two as they enjoy the story and photographs of a well-managed estate." * Library Journal (US) *"Well-written and filled with seductive full color photographs, this book demands the attention of landscape designers and armchair gardeners alike." * Publishers Weekly (US) *

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Book SynopsisTim Richardson has been writing about the English landscape garden for over 14 years. he was gardens editor of Country Life from 1995-99 and is the author/editor of The Garden Book (Phaidon), as well as author of English Gardens in the Twentieth Century (Aurum) and The Vanguard Landcapes and Gardens of Martha Schwartz (Thames and Hudson). He is also the world's foremost confectionery historian and author of Sweets: A History of Temptation. He lives in north London.Trade ReviewWonderfully rich and packed with vivid details...The Arcadian Friends deserves to become a classic * Guardian *The Arcadian Friends offers an invigorating new approach to familiar garden history territory. In the company of his large cast, Richardson guides us deftly through varied landscapes full of surprises. * Sunday Telegraph *Replete with first-rate scholarship... there are many delights here * Literary Review *Richardson explains this with verve and enthusiasm, and a measure of his success is that he makes the reader want to visit, or revisit, the gardens he describes * Telegraph *Wonderfully engaging... This book gives us a way to read the landscape and see again what the original owners intended. * Spectator *

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Book SynopsisThis stunning and original British travel guide charts lesser known gardens, spectacular meadows, the best kitchen garden food, plus wild places to camp and stay. From traditional cottage gardens and walled-gardens, to newly designed gardens planted for bees and nature, this timely book which will appeal to garden-lovers, foodies and nature-lovers.

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Book SynopsisSelected as one of the Sunday Times best gardening books of 2023Discover the lavish beauty and fascinating history of the 40 most important and inspiring botanic gardens from across the globe.From the Renaissance gardens of Italy to the futuristic botanic gardens of Singapore, this gorgeous book tells the story of these unique institutions. It is a history of science and learning, of politics and national interests, of societal concerns and conservation. But, most of all, it is a compelling exploration of the power and possibility of the natural world, that we are still merely scratching the surface of.Expert garden historian Deborah Trentham has selected the world's most important gardens and delves deep into the history of these horticultural institutions - sharing stories of exploration, extraordinary plants and the scientific breakthroughs which have shaped these stunning gardens.Filled with rare and beautiful plants and incredible locations from around the globe - from Norway to Morocco, Kyoto to Kew, Brooklyn to Buenos Aires, and Madrid to Malaysia - this book will transport you to far-flung places and bygone eras, and consider the future of our botanical havens and the natural wonders they protect.

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Book Synopsis“Dan Hinkley is a rare man, generous, inspired, and gifted with an eye for beauty that is given to few people. How I long to wander again in the galloping beauty of his garden at Windcliff. Here it is, in all its inspiring wonder.” —Anna Pavord, author of Landskipping and The Curious GardenerDaniel Hinkley is widely recognized as one of the fore­most modern plant explorers and one of the world’s leading plant collectors. He has created two outstanding private gardens—Heronswood and Windcliff. Both gardens, and the story of how one begat the other, are beautifully celebrated in Hinkley’s new book, Windcliff.In these pages you will delight in Hinkley’s recounting of the creation of his garden, the stories of the plants that fill its space, and in his sage gardening advice. Hinkley’s spirited ruminations on the audacity and importance of garden-making—contemplations on the beauty of a sunflower turning its neck from dawn to dusk, the way a plant’s scent can spur a memory, and much more—will appeal to the hearts of every gardener.Filled with Claire Takacs’s otherworldly photography, Windcliff is spectacular for both its physical beauty and the quality of information it contains.

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Book SynopsisAn A-to-Z compilation of traditional gardening skills and heirloom plants, nostalgically illustrated with wood block art. Modern life is a cornucopia of technological wonders. But when we spend so much time glued to our phones and computer screens, something precious is lost: a sense of connection to the generations that have preceded us. John Forti is acutely aware of this loss, and his mission is to heal it. In The Heirloom Gardener, he celebrates and shares the lore and traditional practices that link us with the natural world and with each other. Arranged alphabetically, entries include heirloom flowers like beebalm, Johnny-jump-ups, and nasturtiums; traditional skills such as distilling, wreath-making, and brewing; and subjects such as ethnobotany, biodiversity, and organic gardening. Throughout, Forti highlights the ways in which these plants and practices can enrich modern life. The Heirloom Gardener is charmingly illustrated, resulting in a beautiful book that will inspire y

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Book SynopsisGarden visitation has been a tourism motivator for many years and can now be enjoyed in many different forms. Private garden visiting, historical garden tourism, urban gardens, and a myriad of festivals, shows and events all allow the green-fingered enthusiast to appreciate the natural world. This book traces the history of garden visitation and examines tourist motivations to visit gardens. Useful for garden managers and tourism students as well as casual readers, it also examines management and marketing of gardens for tourism purposes, before concluding with a detailed look at the form and tourism-based role of gardens in the future.Table of Contentsa: Preface 1: Introduction 2: A History of Garden Tourism 3: Gardening and Gardens Today 4: A World Garden Survey 5: The Multiple Roles of Gardens and the Importance of Indoor Flower Festivals 6: Outdoor Garden Festivals 7: Managing the Garden 8: Tourists to Gardens and Tourists in the Garden: Motivators and Enablers 9: Problems and Issues in Gardens Today 10: Reflections on the Future of Garden Tourism

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Book SynopsisGet out in your garden and discover the history hidden in the hedges.Did the Romans have rakes? Did the monks get muddy? Did potatoes seem really, really weird when they arrived on our shores?Drawn from Jenny Uglow's own love for plants, this lively 'potted' history of gardening in Britain takes us on a garden tour from the thorn hedges around prehistoric settlements to the rage for ornamental grasses and 'outdoor rooms' today. Tracking down the ordinary folk who worked the earth - from weeding women to florists - as well as aristocrats and grand designers and famous plant-hunters, A Little History of British Gardening is brought to life by gorgeously vivid illustrations and Uglow's insightful wisdom. Not only dealing with flowery meads, grottoes and vistas, landscapes and ha-has, parks and allotments, Uglow explains, for example, how the Tudors made their curious knots; how housewives used herbs to stop freckles; how the suburbs dug for victory in World War II.With a brief guide to particular historic or evocative gardens open to the public, this is a book to put in your pocket when planning a crisp, winter's day out - but also to read in your armchair with a well-earned glass of red, after a hard day's graft in your own garden.'Enchanting, stirringly evocative and fascinating' Daily Mail'This book will be a joy for any gardener' Independent Trade ReviewThe book charts gardening right up to the present day, looking at the spike in demand for allotments and the current boom in naturalistic gardening. This isn’t a dry historical reference book, it’s filled with interesting anecdotes and asides that bring all the eras to life -- Rachael Funnell * English Garden *Uglow's account of a national obsession is a delight from beginning to end * The Observer *This book will be a joy for any gardener * The Independent *The biographer of Gaskell and Hogarth now takes us into the garden, where plants glow and miniature landscapes unfold at the touch of her easy prose * Sunday Telegraph *Enchanting, stirringly evocative and fascinating * Daily Mail *

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Book SynopsisThis lavish book highlights a selection of the wonderful illustrations held in the archive of The Florilegium Society at Sheffield Botanical Gardens. Each illustration included in the book is accompanied by a plant profile, stating where the plant was found in the wild and explaining something of its history, uses and botany. The book also gives an introduction to florilegia dating from the early herbals, and a history of the Society's Herbarium and the Gardens themselves. Featuring over 100 colour illustrations and 67 plant profiles, it is a book for everyone to enjoy, whatever the season. The Botanical Gardens are in the heart of the City of Sheffield and are a much-loved venue enjoyed both by the people of Sheffield and visitors to the City. This book has been written by the Society's founding chair Valerie Oxley. Valerie developed the diploma in Botanical Illustration with colleagues at the University of Sheffield.Trade ReviewAs someone lacking even a trace of artistic ability, perhaps the most astonishing thing is how all the illustrations manage to be in recognisably different styles, without in any way sacrificing botanical accuracy. So much beauty for a mere £25. -- Ken Thompson * Professional Gardeners Guild *An illuminating record of the treasures of Sheffield’s Botanical Garden, recording the beauty and lifecycle of both native and exotic plants. -- Ambra Edwards * Gardens Illustrated Issue 304 *The amount of visual information in each artwork and the different ways in which different artists accomplish that, paired with the accompanying plant profile text, give a satisfying experience of each plant as drawn by the Society’s artists. Affordably priced, this “hidden garden” would be a good addition to any botanical or horticultural library and to the personal libraries of botanical art lovers. -- Charlotte A. Tancin Librarian Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation * Council on Botanical and Horticultural Libraries Newsletter *

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Book Synopsis“A fascinating and intimate portrait of a garden over time … Reading is like being given a rusty key to a beautiful secret garden." - Ben Dark, Author of The GroveHidden away behind high stone walls in the centre of London is Lambeth Palace Garden, a 10-acre site that has been continuously cultivated for more than a thousand years.Join Head Gardener Nick Stewart Smith as he unlocks the gates and invites us to wander through a secret garden where nature is at the heart of everything and where a thoughtful approach to gardening creates a haven for all sorts of native wildlife, allowing nature to flourish in the midst of one of the world’s busiest cities.The Thousand Year Old Garden is a comforting meditation through the seasons on the act of renewal, hope, gardening, and our place in nature.Trade Review“It is a fascinating read and best of all, with appetite whetted, the reader can arrange to visit the garden which opens to the public through the National Garden Scheme.” * Country Life magazine *“A unique insight into a special place, written with tenderness and passion by a gardener with a real eye for detail” * Countryside magazine *Steward Smith professes not to be a writer but his easy, conversational style married with an extraordinary eye for horticultural, historical and even personal detail belies this. * The Field magazine *Readers will have their interest piqued by this captivating work, and can visit the garden to see for themselves (though Lambeth Palace itself is closed for refurbishment) * The Field magazine *His book is like the contented conversation between two people sharing a bench: ruminative, tangential, full of wisdom. * Church Times *A most charming and original story of a gardener and his garden -- Roy LancasterA wonderful grasp of the natural world, and the delicate balance between the cultivated and the wildlings, and the gardener's role in bringing out the best of both -- Roy Lancaster

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Book SynopsisAs I step out of the conservatory facing North, supported by my pusher, the first that catches my eye is the dying Sycamore which escapes death every year by producing a healthy crop of leaves, but it looks so decrepit that surely it can't pull that trick yet again. -1 April, 2020 In his eighty-eighth year, John Boorman uses his time in lockdown to reflect on the splendour of the surrounding nature of County Wicklow. Coccooning with his daughter and son among the hills of Annamoe, Boorman chronicles his daily walks and observations of the trees on his estate, writing with heightened appreciation of the beauties of his eyrie using only one eye and one finger. Poetry flows from his pen as he sits chairbound among his trees and flora: sycamores, limes, beech, oak, redwood, shrubs and flowers, birdsong and shifting skies are luminously recorded as the world falls silent. With illustrations by Susan Morley, this slim but meditative volume is a remarkable narrative by the creator of The Emerald Forest, Excalibur and Deliverance - a swansong like no other.Trade ReviewReading each entry, a meditative calm descends, and I can almost feel the bark of the twin oak he so lovingly strokes when he visits it, as if greeting an old friend, before sitting on the bench beneath to drift in and out of ruminations and dreaming. -- Susan McKeever * Books Ireland *Reading each entry, a meditative calm descends, and I can almost feel the bark of the twin oak he so lovingly strokes when he visits it, as if greeting an old friend, before sitting on the bench beneath to drift in and out of ruminations and dreaming. -- Susan McKeever * Books Ireland *Delicate, insightful, rich and meditative. -- Hilary A. White * The Independent *

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Book SynopsisA showcase of Britain's most extraordinary gardens and landscapes from the twentieth century to present day. 100 20th-Century Gardens and Landscapes highlights the evolution of gardens and landscapes over the past century, tracing how these distinctive creations complemented buildings of their period. Entries in this book are grouped in chronological periods, documenting changing styles and techniques in a visual timeline. The examples chosen take the story from the Arts and Crafts garden and the garden city, through the landscapes created for mid-century housing and the new towns, to the low-maintenance gardens of the 1980s and contemporary trends for community and wildlife gardens. Designed landscapes were often integral to the conception of twentieth-century developments; the inclusion of a handful of particularly successful landscapes for memorial gardens, offices, industry, transport and parks demonstrate a changing attitude to public green space during the century and its increasing importance as private gardens have become ever smaller. Designers and architects such as Piet Oudolf, Charles Jencks, Frederick Gibberd, Geoffrey Jellicoe, Vita Sackville-West and Gertrude Jekyll are all featured, alongside more detailed essays on the history of gardens, planting styles, the importance of modern landscapes, and the career of Geoffrey Jellicoe. The text is written by architectural, landscape and garden historians including Elain Harwood, Barbara Simms and Alan Powers. Beautifully illustrated throughout with photography, illustrations and garden plans, this book is ideal for gardeners and landscape lovers alike.Trade Review'Refreshingly wide in scope … intelligent and thought-provoking' -- The Times'This enjoyable and colourful guided tour through landscapes from the Arts and Crafts via the Barbican to Derek Jarman’s Dungeness cottage might make an enticing gazetteer for a summer spent closer to home than usual.' * Financial Times *'A catalogue of private and public gardens that well illustrates how garden design and landscape architecture emerged together during that century.' -- George Plumptre * Daily Telegraph *'A shorthand way to appreciate the way garden designers, town planners, landscape architects and others help shape the world around us. And that is certainly worth celebrating.' * The Garden *'Casts a much needed light on why it is so important now to discuss, protect and preserve these spaces' * Rakesprogress magazine *'An absorbing history of a much-loved but much overlooked part of our lives' * Reclaim Magazine *

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Book SynopsisOxford Botanic Garden has occupied its central Oxford site next to the river Cherwell continuously since its foundation in 1621 and is the UK’s oldest botanic garden. The birthplace of botanical science in the UK, it has been a leading centre for research since the 1600s. Today, the garden holds a collection of over 5,000 different types of plant, some of which exist nowhere else and are of international conservation importance. This guide explores Oxford Botanic Garden’s many historic and innovative features, from the walled garden to the waterlily pool, the glasshouses, the rock garden, the water garden and ‘Lyra’s bench’. It also gives a detailed explanation of the medicinal and taxonomic beds and special plant collections. Lavishly illustrated with photographs taken throughout the seasons, this book not only provides a fascinating historical overview but also offers a practical guide to the Oxford Botanic Garden and its work today. Featuring a map of the entire site and a historical timeline, it is guaranteed to enhance any visit, and is also a beautiful souvenir to take home.

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Book SynopsisThe perfect companion to Merrell's bestselling Dream Homes and More Dream Homes, Dream Gardens is a stylish sourcebook of 100 modern and contemporary gardens from around the world. Now available in paperback for the first time, this critically acclaimed volume presents an array of wonderful locations and garden-design ideas, from small, sophisticated, minimalist city gardens to large, richly planted gardens in breathtaking rural locations. Each garden is beautifully photographed to show all its key features and essential details, while concise descriptions explore the aims and achievements of some of today's most influential garden designers. With full captions identifying the plants depicted, Dream Gardens is a valuable source of information and inspiration.Trade ReviewOne of these rare garden books that is as useful as it is beautiful - SUNDAY TELEGRAPH A stylish sourcebook of 100 modern and contemporary gardens from around the world, and an ideal read for avid gardening fans - THE PASS

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Book SynopsisBorde Hill Garden is set in historic parkland in a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in West Sussex. The Elizabethan mansion was purchased in the 1890s by Colonel Stephenson Robert Clarke (known as Stephie), who set about creating the garden and woodland using plants from several continents brought back to England by the great plant hunters of the early 1900s. Well over a century and three generations later, Borde Hill remains in the ownership of the Stephenson Clarke family, and today is renowned for its collection of rare shrubs and trees. This beautiful new book - the first dedicated to Borde Hill - is structured in two main parts. For the first, 'The History', Vanessa Berridge has had exclusive access to the Borde Hill archive, which contains not only family photographs but also a wealth of written sources, such as letters between Stephie and nurserymen, directors of botanical gardens, other landowners, and plant hunters. Giving unique insight into the horticultural world and social history of the interwar years, this correspondence reveals acts of courage by such famed plant explorers as George Forrest and Ernest Wilson and the professional level of accomplishment of Stephie and his gardening acquaintances. The second part of the book takes the reader on an extended tour of the garden, illustrated by the glorious photography of John Glover. Borde Hill is laid out as a series of intimate outdoor 'rooms', including the Old Rhododendron Garden, the Rose Garden and the terraced Italian Garden. With its variety further encompassing wide lawns that flow out into the countryside, many plant species not found elsewhere in Britain and one of the country's largest collections of privately owned rare trees, it is no wonder that Borde Hill lays claim to offering visitors the world in one garden. Concluding with information on Borde Hill's historic plants, its many RHS Awards of Merit and its 70 champion trees, this authoritative, engaging book is a fitting celebration of one of Britain's great heritage gardens.Table of ContentsForeword by Stephen Lacey Map Introduction: The World in One Garden The History The Garden Historic Borde Hill Plants RHS Awards for Borde Hill Plants Borde Hill's Champion Trees Timeline Family Tree Select Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisRousham in Oxfordshire was one of the first landscape gardens created in England and is, still, one of the most influential. Designed by William Kent in the late 1730s for the Cottrell-Dormer family (who are its owners today) it has become a place of pilgrimage for landscape architects and garden designers worldwide as well as garden lovers. Its magical glades and sculptural set-pieces have long intrigued Francis Hamel, who has lived and worked there for 25 years. Since the beginning of 2020 he has composed an extraordinary collection of paintings that capture the gardens and their magic. With essays by Tom Stuart-Smith, Joanna Kavenna and Christopher Woodward, the reader is led down its mysterious pathways; from tree-shaded walks peopled with statues of Pan, Venus and other immortals to sun-dappled meadows carpeted with wild flowers. It is just as Kent left it– a secret garden that is open to all.

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