Garden, The: English Love Affair, An: One Thousand Years Of Gard

Description: The unique style of the English garden is admired and copied all over the world. This book shows how the gardens of each period reflect the political, social and cultural life, how they affected architecture, clothes and manners, and how ideas and plants from other continents were embraced to form the art of English garden making. The contributions of men and women of genius and lesser known individuals are analysed and celebrated. The author's final conclusion is that an overwhelming love of flowering plants has always been the inspiration for English gardeners, and probably always will be. Review: The English are known throughout the horticultural world as being passionate about their gardens. English gardens are emulated across the globe and are regarded as being the ideal "garden". Indeed even our wet summers are envied for its ability to bring out the best in our gardens - lush, luxuriant, flowering growth. But from where does this peculiarly English love affair originate? Acclaimed historical garden restorer and writer, Jane Fearnley-Whittingstall, looks back over 1000 years, tracing the gardens development from Medieval hortus conclusus, enclosed gardens, through to embracing the surrounding countryside in Repton and Brown's rolling landscapes of the 1800s, back to today's desire for hortus conclusus once again. Written intelligently and knowledgeably, accompanied by a selection of poetry, diary extracts and historical memoirs, it is a fascinating illustrated history of our horticultural heritage. - Lucy Watson Contents: 1. Keeping nature at bay; 2. Taming nature; 3. Manipulating nature; 4. Co-operating with nature; 5. Domesticating nature; 6. Romanticising nature; 7. Celebrating nature; 8. Controlling nature; 9. Adapting nature; 10. Rediscovering nature; 11. The visionary garden Author Biography: This book grew out of Jane Fearnley-Whittingstall's love and understanding of period gardens and her work as a specialist in their restoration and adaptation. Recent restoration projects include an 18th century town garden in the Circus in Bath, the famous rose garden at Sudeley Castle in Gloucestershire and an early 19th century garden at River Cottage, Clivden, Berkshire.