The Victorian Flower Garden

Published to coincide with a BBC2 series starting in October 1991, this is a successor to the author's The Victorian Kitchen Garden and The Victorian Kitchen. It tells the stories behind flowers which Victorians grew and loved, and with the help of retired head gardener Harry Dodson explains how simple and exotic flowers were cultivated and used.

Behind high redbrick walls at Chilton Foliat in Berkshire lies an extraordinary example of a traditional Victorian kitchen garden. This book traces its recent restoration from a neglected patch of weed-choked ground into a productive and well-ordered plot, cultivated with the use of Victorian tools and techniques and planted with 19th-century varieties of flowers, fruit and vegetables. The garden reflects the characteristics of the era - the inventiveness and interest in science, the constant quest for improvement and the strict social hierarchy.

Describes Victorian gardening techniques, looks at how bedding plants, borders, roses, and shrubs were used, and includes a list of Victorian favorites.

Based on a list of over 300 plants in a 19th century Floral Dictionary, this book looks at how each was grown in the Victorian garden, as well as its various language-of-flowers meanings. It includes facts & anecdotes on the uses, folklore and names of each plant, together with quotes from some of the foremost gardening writers of the Victorian era

“A flower is not a flower alone; a thousand thoughts invest it.” Daffodils signal new beginnings, daisies innocence. Lilacs mean the first emotions of love, periwinkles tender recollection. Early Victorians used flowers as a way to express their feelings—love or grief, jealousy or devotion. Now, modern-day romantics are enjoying a resurgence of this bygone custom, and this book will share the historical, literary, and cultural significance of flowers with a whole new generation. With lavish illustrations, a dual dictionary of flora and meanings, and suggestions for creating expressive arrangements, this keepsake is the perfect compendium for everyone who has ever given or received a bouquet.