The Eighth Wonder of the World

The book celebrates Lionel de Rothschild’s vision in creating Exbury Gardens, a 200-acre woodland garden in Hampshire, and all those who have worked to realise its beauty. Ten chapters tell the story of the Rothschild family and horticulture at Exbury: of Lionel’s life, the intrepid plant hunters he sponsored and the impact the plants had on gardens in the UK and Ireland. It details the life of Exbury itself before the arrival of Lionel and his family, the war years and into the second century of its growth. The book describes the fascinating collections of rare plants, shrubs and trees still on show today, from jewel-like Nerine sarniensis to autumn-interest nyssas and oxydendrum, as well as the famed rhododendrons, azaleas, magnolias and camellias.

Lionel de Rothschild is chair of the Exbury Gardens Trust and a trustee of the Rothschild Archive. He is the grandson and namesake of the Exbury Gardens founder, coauthor of The Rothschild Gardens, and has written widely on rhododendrons and Exbury. Francesca Murray Rowlins is a PhD candidate at the Queen Mary University of London, focusing on philanthropy and fundraising in the horticultural industry.