The Gardens of English Heritage - Hardcover

Mawrey, Gillian; Groves, Linden

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0711227713 ISBN 13: 9780711227712

Publisher: Frances Lincoln, 2010

Synopsis

The magnificent parks and gardens owned by English Heritage are far less well known than its evocative medieval abbeys or Victorian mansions. Yet these remarkable places offer a fantastic variety of outdoor pleasures. Some have stunning designs, while others are important for their history or their plants. A surprising number are brand new, and a few of the best are tiny. All are marvelously atmospheric testaments to the art of horticulture. English Arcadia reveals 25 of the best. Readers delight at homey Osborne, complete with charming vegetable plots for the royal children, then they marvel at the exotic Quarry Garden at Belsay Hall and appreciate the modern restraint of the Contemporary Heritage Scheme. These gardens from every corner of England and almost every century of the nation’s history are joined by essays that tell the story of how each was created and the sometimes eccentric families that owned them. Rounding out this marvelous resource is a look at the decay that the trees, fountains, and statues often fall prey to and the way they’ve been restored to delight viewers today.

About this title

About the Author:

Gillian Mawrey was born in London and now lives on the South Bank with her QC husband. After reading English at Oxford, she worked as a children's books editor and then studied art history and began writing about historic gardens. She lectures in the UK and abroad and has served on prize juries in Belgium and France. In 1995 she set up the Historic Gardens Foundation and is its current chairman. Linden Groves fell in love with gardens after working with Gillian Mawrey on her magazine Historic Gardens Review. Ten years later, she now has a Masters degree in Garden History and is still part of the Review's editorial team. Linden is the author of Historic Parks and Gardens of Cheshire (2004, Landmark Publishing). She has also written for The Garden, Building Design, Footsteps and Kunapipi. English Heritage has recently commissioned Linden to research and write the history of children's play in public parks. She also works as a conservation officer for the Garden History Society. Linden lives in Muswell Hill, London with her husband and two small children, both of whom are discerning garden visitors!

Review:

Stacked full of divine pictures, interesting tidbits. Some gardens are interesting for their design, some for the planting; some are new like the Chiswick House garden and some are ancient as the hills. But they are all fascinating. --Lady

A valuable reference for anyone interested in English landscapes, gardens and houses. --BBC Gardens Illustrated

If an Englishman's home is his castle, then what does that make his garden? Presumably his kingdom and a very beautiful realm many of them are too is 'The Gardens of English Heritage' is anything to go by. --Daily Express

This book will appeal to those interested in gardening, English history or any one that simply likes to look at lovely photographs. --WBQ

About this edition

• Publisher: Frances Lincoln
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 0711227713
• ISBN 13: 9780711227712
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 216