The Golden Age of the Garden

The relationship between England and its gardens might be described as a love affair; gardening is one of our national passions, rooted in history. The eighteenth century is often called the Golden Age of English gardening; as the fashion for formal pleasure grounds for the wealthy faded, a new era began, filled with picturesque vistas inspired by nature. Charting the transformation in our landscapes through the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, The Golden Age of the Garden brings the voices of the past alive in newspaper reports, letters, diaries, books, essays and travelogues, offering contemporary gardening advice, principles of design, reflections on nature, landscape and plants, and a unique perspective on the origins of our fascination with gardens. Exploring the different styles, techniques and innovations, and the creation of many of the stunning spaces that visitors still flock to see today, this is an evocative and rewarding collection for all gardeners and garden-lovers seeking insight, ideas and surprises.

Claire Cock-Starkey is a writer, editor and researcher specialising in historical miscellanies and natural history. She worked with Ben Schott on his highly popular sports miscellany, and was series editor for all six editions of Schott's Almanac. She is the author of six books including Penguins, Pineapples and Pangolins: First Encounters with the Exotic, Famous Last Words and How to Skin a Lion: A Treasury of Outmoded Advice. She writes regularly for Mental Floss and lives in Cambridge.