Author: Stephen Parker – A garden historian and lecturer.
Publisher: Dorling Kindersley
The release of this book coincided with the seed of my intention to visit more gardens taking root. It was a timely coincidence, and so, in ordering the book I had a set of practical expectations. I wanted it to be informative, I wanted pictures, I wanted some historical context in relation to the chosen gardens, and I wanted to be entertained.
The book explores gardens in a broader context than the more traditional “garden visit” type publications. Stephen attempts to get under the soil of the gardens in order to explore both history and context
What I liked: It was informative – I never take it as a given that I will “learn” something from a book. Having left the halls of academia, the primary driver, for the most part, is that of enjoyment. A combination of the two therefore is a good match. Not surprisingly there were, for me, many “new” discoveries within the book.
I really like the succinct style of writing and the well-paced structure of the book. It’s not simply chapter after chapter of “gardens”. There are interludes that provide historical context (e.g. politics, economics, and empire, plant hunters and collectors, modernity & transition). These are short enough to hold the attention and long enough to illuminate.
The book also has a strong “dip-in/dip-out” quality. Opening the book randomly and turning to the nearest chapter I began to read … “Women help each other”. I was automatically drawn into the writing given that I’d recently read Catherine Horwood’s book, “Gardening women: Their stories from 1600 to the present” (review to follow). Stephen Parker takes us succinctly through a timeline of “women as weeders”, “women as writers”, women as mental health “ground breakers” (Lady Henry Somerset opened a residential centre caring for women with alcoholism). Whilst these are fleeting visits to a world that has been explored in more depth elsewhere, they are a welcome pause in our exploration of gardens and add a degree of context in which to consider the gardens being explored.
Would I want more from a book of this type …. not really, this is a competitive market and the points of difference in Stephen’s book are a real positive. I would go further and suggest that a similar exploration of Scottish, Welsh, and Irish gardens, executed in the same style would be desirable. A very small addition would be a more detailed table of contents which would have been useful. The chapters are identified but individual case studies aren’t … it’s just a minor point.
The choice of gardens is well-balanced and not limited to the more well-known locations. From castles to King’s Cross, Highgrove to Hauser & Wirth, Sissinghurst to Shute, there is something here for everyone and the writer’s passion for “all things garden” is apparent throughout the book.
Am I glad it’s on my shelves … absolutely.
Price: £18.69 Amazon (currently)