A Garden Miscellany

“A sweet, alphabetical handbook to all things green.” —The New York Post Do you know a folly from a ha-ha? Can an allée be pleached? Does a skep belong on a plinth? Answers to these questions—plus a gazebo-ful of information, stories, and visual delights—await in this charming exploration of the stuff gardens are made of. Garden historian Suzanne Staubach covers everything from arbors to water features, reveling in the anecdotes that accompany each element. Filled with revelations and fanciful illustrations by Julia Yellow, A Garden Miscellany promises new discoveries with each reading—a book to be returned to again and again.

A charming and beautifully illustrated book, exploring the facts and folklore of gardening, its history and curiosities. Gardening is an age-old craft, steeped in mystique and peppered with handed-down wisdom, often derived from 'sons of the soil' who grew cabbages larger than their neighbours. If you think gardening has become too scientific and wonder where all the hands-on experience and wonder has gone, this book mines a rich seam of folkloric advice. A Miscellany for Garden-Lovers takes a stroll through gardening curiosities from ancient Egyptian wisdom and the world of garden gnomes to rhymes and healing gardens. It is packed with information on the history of gardening and the development of tools and practices, as well as garden curiosities and folklore. Illustrated with stunning historical woodcuts and drawings throughout, this makes a perfect gift for anyone with an interest in gardens. This fact-drenched insight into gardening history will enthral you with its diversity – from digging soil and keeping bees to early plant hunters and weather rhymes.

The relationship between England and its gardens might be described as a love affair; gardening is a national passion, rooted in history. The e18th century is often called the Golden Age of English gardening; as the fashion for formal pleasure grounds for the wealthy faded, a new era began, filled with picturesque vistas inspired by nature. Charting the transformation in English landscapes through the 18th and 19th centuries, The Golden Age of the Garden brings the voices of the past alive in newspaper reports, letters, diaries, books, essays and travelogues, offering contemporary gardening advice, principles of design, reflections on nature, landscape and plants, and a unique perspective on the origins of the English fascination with gardens. Exploring the different styles, techniques and innovations, and the creation of many of the stunning spaces that visitors still flock to see today, this is an evocative and rewarding collection for all gardeners and garden-lovers seeking insight, ideas and surprises.

You may not have the green fingers or the resources to build the Hanging Gardens of Babylon but it is still possible to create a blossoming haven in your own back garden. This practical book guides you through the mysteries of the seasons, with simple, easy-to-follow tips on the best way to make your garden grow. Battle the bugs and the slugs, and plant, prune and dig your way to very own paradise.