Judyth A. McLeod

I am fascinated by plants (a PhD in plant ecology). With a lifetime passion for history and studies in art and design, this odd mixture gelled into a landscape historian. After being a university lecturer in landscaping and sustainable horticulture, I changed careers and now do the two things I love most, helping run our plant nursery Honeysuckle Cottage in the Blue Mountains behind Sydney, devoted to herbs, heritage roses and antique plants, and writing books and magazine articles. I began as a professional writer at fifteen but for too many years writing was relegated to after 10 pm at night and often reluctantly finished at dawn.

My books include titles such as 'Lavender Sweet Lavender', 'In A Unicorn's Garden: Recreating the mystery and magic of medieval gardens' (2008), 'The Atlas of Legendary Lands' (2009), 'Botanica's Organic Gardening', 'Organic At Home', 'Heritage Gardening', 'Our Heritage of Old Roses', 'Natural Health and Beauty with Australian Plants', 'The Book of Lavender' and 'Country Thyme'. I was also a major contributor to and/or consultant editor for books such as 'What Rose Is That?', 'Flora The Gardener's Bible', 'The Complete Book of Herbs', 'Grow Your Own Fruit and Vegetables', 'Herbaceous', and 'Roses'. I have written for most Australian magazines in the fields of gardens/herbs/natural health as well as travel and food, and for ten years was the editor of the international magazine 'The Cottager' devoted to cottage gardens, their plants and crafts.

I live on a country property high up on a mountain with wonderful views that stretch forever, surrounded by semi-rainforest, gardens and bellbirds, in a much too tiny cottage which I share with my horticultural photographer husband who has contributed to the beauty of many books including mine, and two rather elderly pussies. My latest book Vampires: A little bite of history' is in printing at the moment (Murdoch Books), an exploration of the universal belief in vampires throughout time. Currently i'm working on 'The Medieval Book of Everything' a history of the medieval world of Europe through the eyes of ordinary people, also to be published by Murdoch Books. I also work as a consultant editor for a number of publishers. There are two further books currently being written, one on the dark side of gardening (including all things Gothic), the other on tropical gardens. I love cooking, Mediterranean, Caribbean, and Asian Fusion are favourite styles), preferably with a glass of good red wine in one hand. We have always travelled very widely, always with the next book in mind, me with notebook and trusty recorder, the Photographer-in-Chief with his trusted Nikons and lenses. Favourite place on the planet and most often visited - the lavender fields and towns around Mont Ventoux in Provence in summertime. If you can find it, the second edition of Lavender Sweet Lavender (2000 - the previous edition went into five printings) contains masses on lavender farms around the world and particularly in Provence.