Essays & Narratives

Live the romance of the British countryside through this lavish tour of the seasons, landscapes, gardens, and great houses that epitomize British country life, as seen through the eyes of Country Life magazine.For 125 years Country Life has presented its...

Aided by this book the gardener can now answer the question "What's in a name?" and they and their garden will benefit from understanding the wealth of information that has hitherto lain hidden within the mysterious world of Latin names.' - Financial...

The definitive guide to hundreds of Britain's most outstanding gardens, in the care of the National Trust The National Trust has the finest collection of gardens in the United Kingdom. In this book, Stephen Lacey paints a vivid picture of the...

A beautiful tour of Britain's greatest gardens, classic and modern. Inspiration and escapism for every gardener. A unique tour of thirty of Britain's most beautiful gardens, classic and modern. A great gift for...

The paperback edition of the bestselling, acclaimed book. While working at the Royal Horticultural Society, Fiona Davison came across a cache of letters from a young gardener who was denied a scholarship by the RHS, on the grounds that she was female...

"In this intimate book, TJ Maher - artist, gardener, nature-lover and contemplative - elegantly combines his painter's insight with his plantsman's knowledge to present a masterclass in garden artistry." - Jane Powers Grounded in the Garden explores...

From 1946 to 1957, Vita Sackville-West, the poet, bestselling author of All Passion Spent and maker of Sissinghurst, wrote a weekly column in the Observer describing her life at Sissinghurst, showing her to be one of the most visionary horticulturalists...

'The wisest book I've read for many years ... Much more than a gardening book, much more than a guide to mental health ... Hugely recommended' Stephen Fry THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER ...

'Roderick Floud's ground-breaking study of the history, money, places and personalities involved in British gardens over the past 350 years gives fascinating insight into why gardening is part of this country's soul.' Michael Heseltine, Deputy Prime...

An inspiring and life-affirming story of a difficult childhood transformed into happy adulthood through the power of nature and gardensBeloved author Marc Hamer writes about finding refuge in his tiny back garden in this highly original story of...

Set in the heart of the Sussex downs, Charleston Farmhouse is the most important remaining example of Bloomsbury decorative style. But the garden, described by Virginia Woolf in 1916 as 'charming... now run rather wild' became and...

An inspirational introduction to growing and collecting tulips, set against the backdrop of a beautiful English garden, with expert tips and advice for gardeners Tulips are one of the world's most popular flowers, with over 2,500 varieties produced in...

A captivating portrait of 20 of the greatest British gardens and the lords, ladies and gardeners who own and manage them. Focusing on the counties of Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire, this stunning book features gardens designed by some of the leading...

The 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...

Discover 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...

"A visual treat as well as a literary one...for gardeners and garden lovers, connoisseurs of botanical illustration, and those who seek a deeper understanding of the life and work of Emily Dickinson." -The Wall Street Journal Emily Dickinson was a keen...

First published in 1870, The Wild Garden challenged the prevailing garden style of the day and advocated a naturalistic style, in which hardy plants, both native and exotic, are arranged in groupings that mimic wild landscapes. Thanks to Robinson's...

A journey through the most unlikely of gardens: the oases of peace people create in the midst of warIn this millennium, we have become war weary. From Afghanistan to Iraq, from Ukraine to South Sudan and Syria, from Kashmir to the West Bank, conflict is...

This is not a book about French Gardens. It is the story of a man travelling round France visiting a few selected French gardens on the way. Owners, intrigues, affairs, marriages, feuds, thwarted ambitions and desires, the largely unnamed ordinary...

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER - BEST GARDENING BOOKS OF 2020 - Sunday Times, Times 'Every page a joy.' Nigel Slater'From a very early age I loved the countryside as much as any garden and was fascinated by the life that I saw all around me from trees,...

A glorious celebration of some of the finest gardens in a county whose climate makes them especially breathtaking. Alan Titchmarsh Step inside the Secret Gardens of Cornwallfor a private tour of the best horticultural destinations in the county...

Humans have long turned to gardens - both real and imaginary - for sanctuary from the frenzy and tumult that surrounds them. With "Gardens", Robert Pogue Harrison graces readers with a thoughtful, wide-ranging examination of the many ways gardens evoke...

Winner of the National Trust Outdoor Book of the Year 2011The story of one man's unlikely quest to create out of a mountainous Welsh landscape a garden fit for inclusion in the prestigious Yellow Book - the 'Gardens of England and Wales Open for Charity'...

'Go on, have a flutter! Take a few tips from the new book by biologist Dave Goulson and it's a safe bet that beautiful butterflies will start gathering in your garden' Daily MailFrom the Sunday Times bestselling author of A Sting In The Tale comes this...

Voted 'The Nation's Favourite Garden' in 2019 by garden visitors in conjunction with English Garden magazine and the National Gardens Scheme, featured in the 2022 Channel 5 series on 'Great British Gardens', and described by Country Life as a 'Symphony...

A romantic journey through forty captivating gardens lost to time. All over the world, once-flourishing horticultural spaces have been abandoned and forgotten. From the once-crumbling grandeur of the Villa d'Este and the magic of the Lost Gardens of...

Step inside the world's most famous garden and understand the strength of its attraction in this beautiful and fascinating study. Since is was bought and transformed by writer Vita Sackville West and diplomat Harold Nicholson in the 1930s, this garden...

Through over 700 exquisite photographs and evocative text written by Danish gardening celebrity Claus Dalby, explore the history and development of the beloved cottage garden design style. In the pages of The Cottage Garden, you'll first draw inspiration...

HIGHGROVE: A GARDEN CELEBRATED is a commemoration of the beautiful, mature gardens planned and planted by The Prince of Wales over thirty years ago. The gardens at Highgrove evoke intense emotion. In January, the dramatic light and early snowdrops of the...

'Paradise haunts gardens', writes Derek Jarman, 'and it haunts mine.' Jarman's public image is that of a film-maker of genius, whose work, dwelling on themes of sexuality and violence, became a byword for controversy. But the private man was the creator...

Monk's House in Sussex is the former home of Leonard and Virginia Woolf. It was bought by them in 1919 as a country retreat, somewhere they came to read, write and work in the garden. From the overgrown land behind the house they created a brilliant...

***'The best gardening book of 2022.' The Telegraph'A book to make even a quick trip to the corner shop endlessly fascinating. Dark has been dubbed the millennial Monty Don for this beautifully written study of the oft-overlooked nature on our doorsteps....

A captivating, beautifully illustrated, one-of-a-kind color compendium of the flowers, fruits, herbs, trees, seeds, and grasses cited in the works of the world's greatest playwright, William Shakespeare, accompanied by their companion quotes from all of...

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERNIGEL - One of Britain's favourite dogs! MONTY DON - One of Britain's favourite presenters. When Monty Don's golden retriever Nigel became the surprise star of BBC Gardeners' World inspiring huge interest, fan mail and his own...

Selected 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...

The enduring appeal of English gardens is beautifully realised by Clive Nichols, one of Europe's leading garden photographers. From the green hills of the north to the bleached landscapes of the south, twenty-eight gardens transport the reader into a...

Explore ideas, consider the big questions and learn life lessons in your garden. Gardening is an innately thoughtful as well as practical pastime: planning ahead, imagining how plants will grow, deciding what will make a 'good' garden, wondering at the...

We may all feel we know what an "English" garden is, but do we really? England's Gardens offers a holistic, modern-day tour and an update on the history of some of the most iconic, enduring, and influential gardens across the country.A fresh take on a...

Get 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...

*SHORTLISTED FOR THE WAINWRIGHT PRIZE 2021* 'A wholly original, semi-autobiographical book on how to live, how to be calm and content with only a little, in a quietly humming garden' Daily MailBeautifully illustrated, Seed to Dust is a reflective and...