The British have always been a nation of gardeners. Our gardening history began even before the Romans, who brought Mediterranean plants which still flourish across Britain. Gardening grew in the sixteenth century and a distinctively British style became a major export in the eighteenth century. Today, the annual Chelsea Flower Show is an international festival, and our garden designers are in demand all over the world. This book traces the history of British gardening over 450 years through the stories of twenty-six key figures, showing what drove them, and their role in the evolution of Britain's gardens. Their work reveals changes in taste and society down the centuries. Familiar names are featured, such as 'Capability' Brown, Humphry Repton, Gertrude Jekyll, Vita Sackville-West and Christopher Lloyd, together with less generally known figures such as John Gerard, whose Herball of 1597 inspired generations of plantsmen, the Tradescants, pioneer plant hunters, and J. C. Loudon, nineteenth-century champion of smaller gardens. In the present day, we meet Beth Chatto, advocate of the right plant in the right place, and John Brookes, who did for gardening what Elizabeth David did for cooking. Their achievements provide a colourful history and inspiration to every gardening enthusiast.

About the Author
Garden historian Vanessa Berridge was launch editor of 'The English Garden' magazine and now writes for newspapers and magazines internationally. In 2019, she won the Garden Media Guild Garden Book of the Year Award for 'Kiftsgate Court Gardens: Three Generations of Women Gardeners' (Merrell, 2019). Her other books include 'The Princess's Garden: Royal Intrigue and the Untold Story of Kew' (Amberley, 2015) and 'Great British Gardeners: From Early Plantsmen to Chelsea Medal Winners' (Amberley, 2018). She lives and gardens in Gloucestershire.

Reviews
'A tremendous book' -- GARDENS ILLUSTRATED
'A triumph ... with writers such as Berridge there is reason to be hopeful' -- THE GARDEN DESIGN JOURNAL
'An unbroken narrative that Berridge weaves with deft confidence and wit' -- DAILY TELEGRAPH
'A finely balanced collection ... Berridge writes in a wonderfully relaxed style' -- COUNTRY LIFE



Book Information
ISBN 9781398103313
Author Vanessa Berridge
Format Paperback
Page Count 320
Imprint Amberley Publishing
Publisher Amberley Publishing
Weight(grams) 506g