Mounton House: The Birth and Rebirth of an Edwardian Country Home by Helena Gerrish (Lund Humphries Publishers, November. 2022)
The most ambitious project of Henry Avray Tipping, the influential architectural editor of Country Life, Mounton was a new country house and garden, designed without limitations of expense to be the perfect expression of his immense knowledge of history, architecture and horticulture. All was designed to impress a distinguished social circle. However, within weeks of its completion, the Great War started. The world of English country-house living changed irrevocably, so Tipping never saw his hopes for the house come to fruition.
Featuring a wealth of previously unseen material including correspondence, articles and illustrations, this book insightfully details the design and building of the home H. Avray Tipping created for himself with the help of the young Chepstow architect Eric Carwardine Francis. It also gives a rich and evocative portrait of Tipping and his friends, with visits from Lloyd George and from Tipping's gardening colleagues, including Harold Peto, Gertrude Jekyll and William Robinson. The grand layout of the Mounton gardens on the plateau above a limestone gorge included a 24-pillar pergola, terraces overlooking the Severn estuary, a two-storey tea house, a rock garden and remarkable and innovative water gardens.
Over time, the house was neglected and the magnificent gardens became overgrown. Mounton could so easily have been demolished and yet, a hundred years after Tipping completed it, a loving work of restoration of house and gardens was launched. The final two chapters reveal the careful adaptation of the interiors of Mounton House and the spectacular remaking of the gardens by the renowned garden designer Arne Maynard, all fully illustrated with plans and striking new photography. This is the story of the creation, destruction and regeneration of a singular vision.
A Garden Well Placed: The Story of Helmingham and Other Gardens by Xa Tollemache (Pimpernel Press, May 2022)
'Xa Tollemache started her gardening life when she moved into Helmingham Hall in Suffolk in 1975, as a young wife and mother. She spent the next twenty years learning and consequently developing and improving the gardens. It was Helmingham, she always insists, that taught her how to garden - to such effect that in 1996 she was in a position to start her garden design practice.
Xa Tollemache describes this book, her first, as 'a story book, the tale of the love story between me and the garden at Helmingham'. It is also a record of her career as a garden designer, exemplified by eleven other gardens, large and small, on which she has worked her design magic: her first Chelsea Flower Show garden ("I was described as 'just an amateur', which was true - but I did get a Gold Medal!"); and gardens in Dunbeath, Caithness; Castle Hill, Devon; Cholmondley, Cheshire; Bighton, Hampshire; Wilton, Wiltshire; Aldeburgh, Suffolk; Bell House, Suffolk; Stone House, Suffolk; RHS Hyde Hall, Essex - and the garden at her new home, Framsden Hall in Suffolk.'
Borde Hill Garden: A Plant Hunter's Paradise by Vanessa Berridge, Stephen Lacey and John Glover (Merrell, April 2022)
Borde 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 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. "This is an important book; expertly written and full of details that will interest plantspeople and garden historians alike." RHS Magazine
Wanstead House East London's Lost Palace by Hannah Armstrong (Historic England, March 2022)
In c.1713, Sir Richard Child, heir to a mercantile fortune, commissioned Colen Campbell, to build Wanstead House, 'one of the noblest houses, not only in England, but in Europe'. Campbell's innovative classical façade was widely influential and sowed the seeds for English Palladianism. Its opulent interior by William Kent was equal to Kensington Palace and its extensive gardens were attributed to leading landscape designers George London and Humphry Repton.
Wanstead's glory days came to an end in 1822, when a major sale of its contents was arranged to pay off financial debts. Two years later the house was demolished, its building fabric dispersed far and wide. A large crater on an east London golf course is all that remains of this once 'princely mansion'.
Based on scholarly research, Wanstead House: East London's Lost Palace provides the first illustrated history of the lost Georgian estate, charting the meteoric rise and fall of the Child dynasty. By restoring Wanstead's reputation amongst the leading houses of the era, this book demonstrates that those lost in actuality, should by no means be lost to history.
Chiswick House Gardens 300 Years of Creation and Re-Creation by David Jacques (Historic England, March 2022)
The grounds at Chiswick House are amongst the most iconic of all the historic gardens of Europe. In the 1720s they reflected Lord Burlington's innovative ideas on Palladianism and antique gardens, whilst the area transformed by William Kent to give a rustic appearance in the early 1730s has been recognised as one of, or perhaps the, birthplace of the landscape garden. The grounds were periodically brought to the forefront of taste, reaching another high point as the venue for spectacular garden parties under the 6th Duke of Devonshire. As a garden of many periods it has given rise to passionate national debates since World War II on the principles of restoration, and as a public park it has been an important project assisted by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Its renewed high state of keeping and its tranquil beauty belies its 'deep' history of intellectual debate, social tensions and practical difficulties.
The book concentrates on the four main periods when Chiswick gardens were in the national spotlight, two when being in the forefront of taste and two concerning the restorations, the first being in the 1950s when the whole question of garden restoration was entirely new. The second restoration, on and off since 1988 intersects with the development of a philosophical stance and national policy on the restoration of parks and gardens.
There is much of interest for art and architectural historians, garden historians, social historians and those local and international visitors who enjoy the finest public park in West London.
The Royal Gardens at Highgrove by Gill Knappett (Pitkin, January. 2022)
‘With a Foreword by His Royal Highness, this lavishly illustrated book brings together the history of Highgrove and the myriad gardens that he has created which reflect his interests: architecture, the arts, conservation, his belief in organic principles and, quite simply, his love of nature all play their part. There are surprises, too: as Prince Charles loves to experiment, his garden is one that constantly evolves as new ideas take shape.’
The Gardens at Rousham by Francis Hamel (Clearview, October 2021)
Rousham 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.
Cam Valley - An horticultural, social and economic history set within the regional and national context by Jonathan Spain (RiverRhee Publishing, 2021)
This study sets out to celebrate and record the history of commercial fruit growing in the Cam valley whilst it is still within living memory, drawing on the experiences of fruit growers and workers in addition to a wide range of documentary sources.
The book is divided into three parts. Part One focusses on the origins and commercial development of the fruits grown locally. Part Two has a chapter surveying the development of orchards in and around local villages and the individuals and families who brought the industry into being and Part Three considers the economic history of fruit farming.
The Statues at Rousham Park by Anne Schlee (Academy Press, June 2021
The Statues at Rousham Park describes how the retired General James Dormer, who inherited Rousham in 1738, completed Charles Bridgeman’s garden design with the help of William Kent, but reserved for himself the choice of statues and their placement. Taken together, the statues and busts, in both lead and stone, suggest an autobiographical portrait of Dormer.
Stourhead Henry Hoare's Paradise Revisited by Dudley Dodd (author). Marianne Majerus (Photographer) with a forward by James Stouton (Apollo, October 2021).
‘This is the first history – in colour – of a unique landscape created by generations of the Hoare banking family. It follows its evolution, describing how flights of folly, individual flair and tastes, combined with careful stewardship, have formed a national treasure and one of the finest example of the English landscape garden.’
‘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.’
Little Sparta: A Guide to the Garden of Ian Hamilton Finlay by author Jessie Sheeler and photographer Robin Gillanders (Birlinn Ltd. June 2021). This is a new edition.
‘Ian Hamilton Finlay's garden in the Pentland Hills near Edinburgh is widely regarded as one of the most significant gardens in Britain. In addition to being a spectacular example of garden design, it also features almost 300 artworks by Finlay and others which form an integral part of the garden scheme. This new companion to Little Sparta tells the story of Ian Hamilton Finlay's extraordinary creation, exploring the underlying themes, and introducing and explaining the significance of the main elements and artworks in each part of the garden. Featuring new photography, as well as archive material, it also shows how the garden has matured and developed over the last 50 years.’
Where the Wildness Pleases - The English Garden Celebrated by Caroline Holmes (ACC Art Books, May, 2021)
‘The 'Garden of England', 'The High Weald', these are phrases that describe a 70-year-old Area of Outstanding National Beauty in Southern England. Among these dramatic landscapes and ancient woodlands stand many castles, mansions and cottages, ringed with orchards, meadows, drifting flowers and horticultural exotica. Featured gardens range from grand landscapes to works of glorious eccentricity, Arts and Crafts green rooms to postage stamp-sized plots of ingenuity. Wilderness weaves into floral genius, while native and exotic species stand side-by-side - all within the unique climate of the English garden. Including chapters on English Parks, Arts and Crafts Gardens and Woodland Gardens, Where the Wildness Pleases - The English Garden Celebrated pays homage to English horticultural excellence and tells the gripping stories behind some of our most breath-taking landscapes. This book also features a handy Who's Who of designers, gardeners, plant hunters and nurserymen, and a brief guide to English playing greens - cricket, bowling, croquet and tennis.’
Petersham Nurseries by Francesco & Gael Boglione (authors) and Andrew Montgomery (photographer) (Petersham Nurseries, May 2021)
‘Over 20 years ago, Francesco and Gael Boglione decided to buy Petersham Nurseries, a small plant nursery behind their home, never thinking that it would go on to shape their lives in the most joyful and extraordinary ways. This book charts that journey, incorporating stories of the couple's pasts - from Francesco's travels in Afghanistan, India and Nepal to Gael's career as a model - and illuminating how the nurseries developed in line with their commitment to nature, integrity and family.
Combining the story of the Boglione family in their own words with stunning colour photographs, archive photography, sketches of the changing seasons, recipes and styling tips, this is an evocative and inspiring portrait of one of the most unique businesses in the UK today.’
Great Dixter: Then & Now by Fergus Garrett (Pimpernel Press, Feb. 2021)
‘Christopher Lloyd, icon and iconoclast of the gardening world, was born at Great Dixter, in East Sussex, in 1921, and died there in 2006. In the years between he developed the garden at Dixter into a mecca for plantsmen and a hub of ideas and connections that spread throughout the world. And from the 1930s almost until his death he was also photographing the garden, recording it in intimate detail as it changed and developed. These photographs are published here, the great majority for the first time. They are juxtaposed with photographs taken by Carol Casselden of the garden as it is today. Fergus Garrett, Christopher Lloyd's head gardener and his successor at Great Dixter, provides a running commentary on the changing garden and the different plantings.'
Bloomsbury’s Squares and Gardens by Susan Jellis (ABSG, 2020)
‘Bloomsbury has been called London’s finest example of ‘a planned and civilized environment’. It’s a leafy, atmospheric neighbourhood of garden squares, differing in size, shape and individual character but all bringing a rural ambience into the urban surroundings. ABSG have published this book to showcase these diverse squares, trace their history and give a sense of their life today.’
Cost is £8.99 + £2.80 postage & packing. To obtain your copy visit Skoob Books in The Brunswick, Bloomsbury, London WC1 (but check opening hours before you visit) or you can purchase online at https://skoob.com/
On Psyche’s Lawn: The Gardens of Plaz Metaxu by Alasdair Forbes (Pimpernel Press Ltd, September 2020).
‘Alasdair Forbes has been developing his innovative and beautiful garden, Plaz Metaxu, in Devon, for the past thirty years. The thirty-two acre garden has been internationally acclaimed both as an unusually ambitious contemporary example of the making of place and for its poetic and psychological insights. Trained as an art historian, Alasdair always wanted his garden to be open to the worlds of myth, literature and the other arts, while remaining keenly aware of the strengths, vulnerabilities and delights a garden has to offer in its own right………….This beautiful, richly illustrated book is Alasdair’s own account of how and why the garden was made’
For Further details On Psyche’s Lawn
Sissinghurst: The Dream Garden by Tim Richardson (Frances Lincoln, September 2020)
‘Step inside the world’s most famous garden and understand the strength of its attraction since it was bought and transformed by writer Vita Sackville West and diplomat Harold Nicholson in the 1930s. This unforgettable garden of rooms is influential today for its design, its exuberant planting, and its effect on visitors as a complete garden experience. Author Tim Richardson explores its power and its magic, explaining the nuances of its evolution and shows how we can all enjoy it today’.
The Secret Gardens of Somerset: A Private Tour by Abigail Willis & Clive Boursnell (Frances Lincoln, September 2020).
‘The seventh largest county in Britain….. Somerset’s……inspirational gardens –which reveal a seam of creativity every bit as fertile as its famous peat has long appealed to gardener. This new book covers a wide range of gardens in the county of varying styles, historic and modern, large and small, well-known and lesser known.
English Gardens: From the Archives of Country Life Magazine by Kathryn Bradley-Hole & Duke of Devonshire (Rizzoli International Publications, Oct. 2019)
This substantial tome (429 pages) presents ‘an unprecedented in-depth look at the English garden by one of Britain’s foremost garden writers and authorities’ showcases the enduring appeal of the English garden. The book explores over 70 English gardens ‘some grand, some personal, some celebrated, some rarely photographed’ illustrated by seasonal photographs accompanied by ‘sparkling, insightful text’.
Cambridge College Gardens by Tim Richardson (Author), Clive Boursnell (Photographer), Marcus Harpur (Photographer) (White Lion Publishing, October. 2019)
‘For students and alumni, their families, Cambridge locals and for lovers of private gardens, Tim Richardson’s book on the most exquisite gardens in and around the university of Cambridge’s colleges combines brilliant research and elegant prose with stunning photography by Clive Boursnell. Following on the heels of Oxford College Gardens, this book invites an armchair appreciation of the history, horticulture and atmosphere that these hallowed gardens provide. The gardens are as rich and varied as the colleges themselves, often set within stunning architecture, and include formal quadrangles, naturalistic planting, walled gardens, rooftop oases, productive plots and water meadows as well as the private spaces enjoyed exclusively by the college masters, porters and fellows.’
Great Gardens of London: 30 Masterpieces from Private Plots to Palaces by Victoria Summerley, Hugo Rittson Thomas & Marianne Majerus (White Lion Publishing, Oct 2019)
Three authors collaborate to explore some of London’s most exciting garden plots: some strictly private; others regularly open to visitors. A new edition.
Kiftsgate Court Gardens: Three Generations of Women Gardeners by Vanessa Berridge and Robin Lane Fox (Merrell Publishers Ltd, April 2019)
‘Kiftsgate Court, perched on the northern edge of the Cotswolds Hills in Gloucestershire, is a garden composed of many different scenes……………….. 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.’ `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.’
At West Dean: The Creation of an Exemplary Garden by Jim Buckland & Sarah Wain
The English Country House Garden by George Plumptre (Author) & Marcus Harpur (Photographer) – a new version.
Island Gardens: Havens of Beauty Around the British Isles by Jackie Bennett (Author), Richard Hanson (Photographer)
‘More than 100 of Britain’s 6,000 off-shore islands are inhabited – and where there are people, there are gardens: Lighthouse gardens; gulf-stream-soaked, tropical gardens; windswept remote gardens with giant and ancient yew trees; and gardens surrounding castles and monasteries of historical significance. Britain has more island gardens than anywhere else in the world, particularly on the inhabited islands of the Scottish Hebrides, the Isle of Wight, Anglesey and the Scilly Isles. This new book examines their many and varying characteristics and the challenges their gardeners face, the designs required in such extremes, and the skills their gardeners have mastered to survive and thrive.’
Oxford College Gardens by Tim Richardson (author) & Andres Lawson (photographer). This is a new edition of the book originally published in 2015. With a new cover and lower price it is a smaller hardback edition.
Charleston by Quentin Bell & Virginia Nicholson
This is a ‘refreshed’ edition of the original 1997 publication. “Gavin Kingcombe’s specially commissioned photographs breathe life into the colourful interiors and garden of the Sussex farmhouse, while updated text and captions by Virginia Nicholson capture the evolution of Charleston as it continues to inspire a new generation”.
Gardens and Green Spaces in the West Midlands since 1700 by Malcolm Dick & Elaine Mitchell
The Gardens of Westminster Abbey by Jan Pancheri
Gunnersbury Park by Val Bott and James Wisdom
City Green: Public Gardens of New York by Jane Garmey and Mick Hales
Croome: A Creation of Genius by Catherine Gordons (Scala Arts & Heritage Publishers Ltd, January 2018)
This lavishly illustrated new book offers a new perspective on the extraordinary transformation of Croome, the visionaries who shaped it, and its impact on the cultural life of Georgian Britain.
Oxford Botanic Garden & Arboretum: A Brief History by Stephen Harris (April 2017)
The Great Gardens of Cornwall: The People and their Plants by Tim Hubbard (March 2017)
Secret Gardens of the National Trust by Claire Masset (March 2017)
The Hampton Court Albums of Catherine the Great by Mikhail Pitrovsky and Mikhail Dedinkin, (Fontanka. May 2016)
Published to coincide with ‘The Empress and the Gardener’ exhibition at Hampton Court this summer, this new publication reproduces in their entirety two albums of drawings by Capability Brown’s draughtsman, John Spyers, recently discovered in the State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg.
The 149 drawings, mainly depicting Hampton Court Palace and its surrounding parks in the years when Capability Brown was Chief Gardener there from 1764-1783.
They are considered to be one of the most complete visual records of an historic landscape ever captured before photography. Purchased by Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia, in the early 1780s, they lay forgotten for over 200 years. It has been suggested that Catherine used the albums as her inspiration for the landscaping of her new English Garden at Peterhof, outside St Petersburg.
Venetian Gardens by Monty Don (author) & Derry Moore (photographer) (Ebury Publishing, October 2022)
Few world cities hold the romance and historical sweep of Venice. Thousands visit every year - and a mixture of crowds and climate leave it vulnerable, so much so it is often said to be in danger of sinking - but away from the usual tourist haunts around St. Mark's square are exceptional hidden treasures, some 500 gardens, many of them with fascinating stories.
Starting in the heart of the city and working their way out to the Veneto, Monty and Derry celebrate the beauty of these places and tell their unique stories: from a beautiful nunnery garden with a history of exotic animals and a kitchen garden of the historic Foundation to the Madonna church to the estates of famous Venetian families, like the spectacular Giusti Renaissance garden.
With stunning full colour photography throughout, Venice Gardens will give readers new insight into one of the world's most beloved cities - you won't see Venice the same way again.
The Irish Garden A Cultural History by Peter Dale (The History Press, Ireland, Second edition, July 2022)
‘Atmospherically illustrated by Brian Lalor, The Irish Garden wanders into individual gardens, rather than presenting a sweeping chronology.
Strains of Irishness run through these gardens like seams of ore. Seen not just as zones of horticultural bravura, but also as reflections of historical, cultural, political and religious events and values, the gardens accrue an unusual richness of surface and depth of meaning’.
Autobiography of a Garden by Patterson Webster (McGill-Queen’s University Press, July 2022)
'Autobiography of a Garden follows Patterson Webster's twenty-five-year journey as she transforms a beautiful but conventional country property into a 750-acre landscape that challenges what a garden is, or can be. A unique, personal memoir, this book details how a neophyte gardener moved from copying the ideas of other people to learning from them, and finally to striking out on her own. Combining traditions from French and English eighteenth-century gardens with contemporary perspectives, Webster communicates concepts and ideas that underpin the garden's design, sharing a process that evolved over seasons and years. She explores the meaning of creating a garden and the meaning that a garden can create, linking ideas about aging and the passage of time to the reality of growth and death in the landscape and thinking through how art in a garden can reframe questions of memory and our relationship to nature. Using the history of the property as a framework, Webster considers the impact made by those who lived on the land before her: the Abenaki, the early settlers, the cottagers, the farmers, the US southerners who came to Quebec to avoid the summer heat, and the northerners who defeated them in the Civil War. With engaging personal anecdotes, she describes the thinking behind each part of the garden and the examples that guided her, the mishaps and successes she encountered, and her plans for the future. Beautifully photographed and full of inspirational ways of thinking about gardens and gardening, Autobiography of a Garden blends history, horticulture, and art, encouraging readers to make their own surroundings more beautiful and more meaningful.'
Garden as Art Beatrix Farrand at Dumbarton Oaks by Thaisa Way (editor) and Sahar Coston (photographer) (Harvard University Press, July 2022)
Garden as Art illuminates the stewardship of the Dumbarton Oaks Gardens, one of the most beautiful gardens on earth. Essays consider its archival significance and its influence on landscape architecture. New photographs by Sahar Coston-Hardy and archival images invite contemplation of the art of garden design and how gardens evolve as works of art.
Rescue and Revival: New York Botanical Garden, 1989-2018 by Gregory Long (Library of American Landscape History, May 2022)
‘By the late 1980s, the New York Botanical Garden was in serious trouble. The staff were poorly paid and balkanized, endowments were depleted, fundraising was inadequate, and visitation had dwindled to an embarrassing level. The grounds were seedy, many of the historic buildings decrepit, and the great conservatory in need of total rehabilitation. The fundamental concept of a botanical garden as an educational institution and museum of plants had been forgotten by all but a few. The once distinguished place, founded in 1891, was in need of a revival. Enter Gregory Long, a new CEO brought in from outside the botanical world with a mandate to rescue it. This is the story of how he did. Twenty years' experience at four major New York cultural institutions, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and New York Public Library, together with an extraordinary energy and imagination, equipped Long with a vision for how to turn things around. He set about recruiting new senior staff, rebuilding the board, reengaging employees, and fundraising on a vast scale. The massive billion-dollar program of renewal, modernization, and expansion he and his staff implemented was realized through four successive strategic plans, resulting in the restoration of the historic landscape, creation of new programming, and construction of many new facilities and gardens. By 2018, NYBG had been re-established as one of the city's major cultural institutions and was recognized as the most important privately funded botanical garden in the world. The account of this decades-long, painstaking yet exhilarating process is engagingly told here through dozens of episodes and many protagonists. As diverse as New York City itself, this cast of characters includes the biologists Edward O. Wilson and Thomas Lovejoy, philanthropists Brooke Astor and David Rockefeller, author Oliver Sacks, Karen Washington and the urban farmers of Bronx Green-Up, Senator Patrick Moynihan, and performing artists Sigourney Weaver and Jessye Norman. The efforts of these and hundreds of others, staff and volunteers, were critical in the rebuilding of this international institution during what now seems a golden age in New York City history. The renaissance of the New York Botanical Garden is a success story that will inspire readers everywhere, from those who steward their own non-profit organizations to those whose lives have been enriched by the beauty and educational impact of this remarkable place’.
Charles Frederick Ball: From Dublin's Botanic Gardens to the Killing Fields of Galllipoli by Brian Willan (Liffey Press, June 2022)
When Charles Frederick Ball was killed at Gallipoli in 1915 The Irish Times called him ‘one of the best known botanists and horticulturists in Ireland’. Fred Ball (to friends and family) trained in horticulture at Kew Gardens in the UK, moved to Dublin in 1906, became Assistant Keeper at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Glasnevin, and was editor of the journal Irish Gardening. A skilled plant breeder, he could have expected, in time, to succeed Sir Frederick Moore as Keeper of the Botanic Gardens. Instead, he responded to the call to serve king and country, enlisting in the famous 7th Battalion, Royal Dublin Fusiliers.
Napoleon A Life in Gardens and Shadows by Ruth Scurr (Random House, May 2021)
‘Napoleon's gardens range from his childhood olive groves in Corsica, to Josephine's gardens and menageries in Paris, to gardens in Cairo, Rome and on Elba, to the walled garden of Hougoumont at the battle of Waterloo, and ultimately to Napoleon's final garden…… In this innovative biography, as uniquely fitting its subject as Ruth Scurr's applauded portraits of Robespierre and John Aubrey, Napoleon emerges a giant figure made human, seen through the eyes of those who knew him best - close witnesses, rich and poor, famed and obscure - in the shade of his gardens. The result is vivid, multidimensional and haunting, throwing us back in time, so that we see him before us, both as the Emperor hunting for glory and the man in an old straw hat, leaning on his spade. on St Helena, where Chinese labourers built him a summerhouse where he could sit and scan the sea in his final months.’
The English Landscape Garden in Europe by Michael Symes, Historic England (April 2016)
American Gardens by Monty Don (Prestel, Sept, 2020)
'For years, Britain’s much-loved gardener Monty Don has been leading us down all kinds of garden paths to show us why green spaces are vital to our wellbeing and culture. Now, he travels across America with celebrated photographer Derry Moore to trace the fascinating histories of outdoor spaces which epitomize or redefine the American garden. In the book, which complements the BBC television series, they look at a variety of gardens and outdoor spaces at the centre of American history including the slave garden at Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello estate, Longwood Gardens in Delaware, and Middleton Place in South Carolina. Together, they visit verdant oases designed by modernist architects such as Richard Neutra. They delve into urban outdoor spaces, looking at New York City’s Central Park, Lurie Garden at the southern end of Millennium Park in Chicago, and the Seattle Spheres. Derry Moore gives his unique perspective on gardens across the United States, including several not featured in the TV series. These include unpublished photographs of Bob Hope’s Palm Springs home and garden of renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Featuring luscious photography and Don’s engaging commentary, this book will leave you with a richer understanding of how America’s most important gardens came to be designed.'
Architects of an American Landscape: Henry Hobson Richardson, Frederick Law Olmsted, and the Reimagining of America's Public and Private Spaces by Hugh Howard (Black Cat, January. 2022)
‘A dual portrait of America's first great architect, Henry Hobson Richardson, and her finest landscape designer, Frederick Law Olmsted--and their immense impact on America. As the nation recovered from a cataclysmic war, two titans of design profoundly influenced how Americans came to interact with the built and natural world around them through their pioneering work in architecture and landscape design’.
Royal Gardens of the World: 21 of the world’s most celebrated gardens, from the Alhambra to Highgrove and beyond by Mark Lane (Kyle Books, September 2020)
The book is a sumptuous exploration of 21 of the world’s most celebrated royal gardens, from the delightful Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew and the organic, sustainable Highgrove to the rugged, classical Balmoral in the UK.
In mainland Europe you can journey from the formal splendour of Het Loo in the Netherlands and Versailles in France to the Baroque World Heritage Site of the Royal Palace of Caserta in Southern Italy. Further afield still lies the Taj Mahal in India and the Peterhof Palace in Russia.
Each featured garden will include the history, plantings and evolution of the garden as well as plant portraits of key plants and information about the design and layout of each. Countries included are: England, Scotland, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Austria, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Russia, India, Bali and Japan.
'T'his inspiring global selection of royal gardens is a perfect gift for any gardening enthusiast or armchair traveller and takes the reader on a journey of architecturally significant houses and their classic gardens as well as providing planting ideas that range from modest to grand, simple to ornate.'
Spirit of Place: The Making of a New England Garden by Bill Noble (Timber Press, July 2020)
‘‘How does an individual garden relate to the larger landscape? How does it connect to the natural and cultural environment? Does it evoke a sense of place? In Spirit of Place, Bill Noble helps gardeners answer these questions by sharing how they influenced the creation of his garden in Vermont. He explores the history of New England gardens and how they were shaped by a rugged landscape, harsh climate, and European ideas about design and plantsmanship. Throughout, Noble reveals that a garden is never created in a vacuum, but is rather the outcome of an individual’s personal vision combined with historical and cultural forces. Sumptuously illustrated, this thoughtful look at the process of garden-making will inspire home gardeners everywhere to leverage the history and site of their own landscape to create a truly spirited place’.
Persian Gardens and Pavilions by Mohammad Gharipour (I.B. Tauris July 2020)
‘From Timur’s tent in Samarqand to Shah ‘Abbas’s palace in Isfahan and Humayun’s tomb in Delhi, the pavilion has been an integral part of Persianate gardens since its earliest appearance at the Achaemenid garden in Pasargadae in the sixth century BC. Here, Mohammad Gharipour places both the garden and the pavilion within their historical, literary and artistic contexts, emphasizing the importance of the pavilion, which has hitherto been overlooked in the study of Iranian historical architecture…………..’
The Dumbarton Oaks Anthology of Chinese Garden Literature by Alison Hardie (Ex Horto: Dumbarton Oaks Texts in Garden and Landscape Studi, May 2020)
‘The Dumbarton Oaks Anthology of Chinese Garden Literature is the first comprehensive collection in English of over two millennia of Chinese writing about gardens and landscape. Its contents range from early poems using plant imagery to represent virtue and vice, through works from many dynasties on both private and imperial gardens, to twentieth-century prose descriptions of the reconstruction of a historic Suzhou garden. Most passages have been translated for this publication. A number of previously published translations, some of which are now hard to find, are also included.
'The anthology is divided into nine chapters: five chronological, covering the pre-Qin period to the Qing dynasty; and four thematic, on rocks and flora, the evolution of a single site (Canglang Pavilion in Suzhou), gardens of the mind, and the interplay between garden and landscape as seen through Mount Tai and West Lake. An introductory essay positions Chinese gardens and garden literature in their cultural context. Care has been taken to translate plant names as accurately as possible given the limitations of the sources, and the anthology includes a glossary of translated names, Chinese names, and binomials.’
A Garden for All Seasons by Kate Markert (Rizzoli International Publications, April 2020) ‘captures Marjorie Post’s garden landscape, set on twenty-five acres in Washington, D.C. Working with prominent landscape architects Umberto Innocenti, Richard Webel, and Perry Wheeler, Post envisioned a setting with a diverse and fascinating array of trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants, offering something to see in every season…………Readers will find inspiration in the newly commissioned photography, while historic images bring context to the beautiful landscape.’
Villas and Gardens of the Renaissance by Lucia Impelliso & Dario Fusaro (Mondadori Electa, Nov 2019)
‘The book illustrates ten locations of extraordinary artistic and architectural interest, conceived by prominent Italian families and dynasties as urban villas or country houses centred around the pursuit of entertainment and leisure. These lavishly decorated and frescoed palaces are adorned with handcrafted furniture and works of art and surrounded by gardens that retain their original layout to this day a very rare feature. An historical text introduces each property, giving an overview of its origins’.
Nature Into Art: The Gardens of Wave Hill by author Thomas Christopher & photographer Ngoc Minh Ngo (Timber Press, Oct 2019)
‘Nature Into Art will enchant and inspire you to practice the Wave Hill way of gardening.’
This book explores the world-renowned Wave Hills public gardens situated in the Bronx, an iconic space which ‘boasts a classic horticultural craftsmanship unrivalled among other public gardens in the United States’. The book explores ‘the different areas of the garden-the flower garden, the shade border, the wild garden, the conservatory, and more……and is filled with stunning, ethereal photography by Ngoc Minh Ngo.
The Blue Garden: Recapturing an Iconic Newport Landscape by Arleyn A Levee (D Giles Ltd, Sept. 2019).
This book charts the decline and rebirth of a 100 year old garden in Newport, Rhode Island.
‘Originally designed in collaboration with the garden’s original owner by Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr, and the Olmsted firm–founded by his father, the great landscape architect responsible for Central Park, New York City–it has now been brought back to life.
The Blue Garden skilfully interweaves the garden’s design and social history, and stories of its founders and the Olmsted firm, with historical photos, original drawings and sketches, and images of the restored garden from 2015. This is a timeless and inspiring account of the devoted patrons, skilled artisans and great designers behind the creation and revival of a masterpiece, made possible by the vision of a devoted patron, and the relevance of historic preservation of gardens in the 21st century’.
Japanese Gardens – a bilingual guide by Shozo Tanaka (June 2019)
‘Written in both English and Japanese, this unique handbook teaches an appreciation of Japanese gardens and introduces many famous gardens from Kyoto to Tokyo. Not only is this book an invaluable guide for those planning to visit Japan, but also a great gift for anyone interested in Japanese culture’.
Japanese Gardens: a personal journey by Monty Don (author) and Derry Moore (photographer (Two Roads, illustrated edition, May, 2019)
‘In this very personal and lyrical exploration of both the traditional and the modern aspects of Japanese gardening, Monty Don takes a look at the traditions and culture which inform some of the most beautiful gardens from all over Japan, from Kenroku-en to the Zen gardens of Tokyo and the historic beauty of Kyoto.
The Art of the Japanese Garden by David Young & Michiko Young (New edition, March 2019)
‘A well-written and beautifully illustrated reference book intended for a broad audience. It is a great book for becoming acquainted with the topic of Japanese gardens.’ –Landscape Architecture
100 Japanese Gardens by Stephen Mansfield (Tuttle Publishing, 19 March 2019)
‘100 Japanese Gardens is an ambitious attempt to profile the finest gardens in Japan, while also highlighting lesser known, but equally accomplished landscapes in less-visited parts of the country. A celebration of Japanese landscape design, this book features gardens from Kyoto and Tokyo, as well as from the sub-arctic island of Hokkaido and the semi-tropical islands of Okinawa.’
Gardens of the Alhambra by Dr Maria del Mar Villafranca-Jimenez & Dr Juan Domingo-Santos. ‘This is the first comprehensive book on the subject for over 90 years, and is unlikely be superseded for many years to come. Lavishly illustrated with commissioned photography, specially commissioned plans and previously unpublished archive material, the book is written by the world’s leading experts including the former director of the site Maria del Mar Villafranca, and head of Granada University’s architecture department Professor Juan Santos.’
Gardening Across the Pond: Anglo-American Exchanges, from the Settlers in Virginia to Prairie Gardening by Richard Bisgrove.
‘Richard Bisgrove explores four centuries of transatlantic influences, from the Tradescants, plant-hunting in seventeenth century Virginia, to the prairie landscapes of the 2012 London Olympic Park, and attempts to answer that thorny question – is the English cottage garden an American invention?’
Italian Gardens of Lake Como by Lucia Impelluso & Dario Fusaro
Green Escapes: The Guide to Secret Urban Gardens by Toby Musgrave
Saving Central Park: A History and a Memoir by Elizabeth Barlow Rogers
Gardens of Style: Private Hideaways of the Design World by Janelle McCulloch
This lavishly illustrated book explores the gardens of fashion and interior designers, and demonstrates not only how they have been influenced by botanicals in their fashion creations and interior designs but have applied their creativity to their own gardens.
Japan’s Master Gardens: Lessons in Space and Environment by Stephen Mansfield
Public Parks, Private Gardens – Paris to Provence by Colta Ives
Paradise Gardens: the world’s most beautiful Islamic gardens by Monty Don and Derry Moore
Gardens of the High Line: Elevating the Nature of Modern Landscapes by Piet Oudolf (July 2017)
Available in both Paperback and for Kindle this book offers an in-depth view into the planting designs, plant palette, and maintenance of New Yorks’ High Line.
‘It reveals a four-season garden that is filled with native and exotic plants, drought-tolerant perennials, and grasses that thrive and spread. It also offers inspiration and advice to home gardeners and garden designers looking to recreate its iconic, naturalistic style.
Featuring stunning photographs by Rick Darke and an introduction by Robert Hammond, the founder of the Friends of the High Line, this large-trim, photo-driven book is a must-have for anyone who appreciates the nature of design’
The Gardens of Japan by Helena Attlee & Alex Ramsay (April 2017)
Japanese Gardens and Landscapes 1650 -1950 by Wybe Kuitert (Penn Studies in Landscape Architecture, April 2017)
New Nordic Gardens: Scandinavian Landscape Design by Annika Zetterman (March 2017)
A Garden for All Seasons: Marjorie Merriweather Post's Hillwood by Kate Markert (Rizzoli International, April 2021)
'A Garden for All Seasons captures Marjorie Post's garden landscape, set on twenty-five acres in Washington, D.C. Working with prominent landscape architects Umberto Innocenti, Richard Webel, and Perry Wheeler, Post envisioned a setting with a diverse and fascinating array of trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants, offering something to see in every season. Thirteen acres of formal gardens extend from the house's terraces and porches in a progression of outdoor rooms.
Each of these spaces, meant to complement the mansion's interior rooms, encourages an intuitive flow from the French parterre to the rose garden, onto the Friendship Walk and the vast Lunar Lawn, location of many of Post's legendary entertainments.
Readers will find inspiration in the newly commissioned photography, while historic images bring context to the beautiful landscape. Although she was in residence at Hillwood only in the spring and fall, Post designed the gardens to flower in all seasons. Today, they are even more glorious all year round for the myriad visitors to the property.'