Overview

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 wide-ranging variety of gardening 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 have marvellously atmospheric surroundings. From the formality of Wrest Park and Chiswick House to the rolling parkland slopes around Kenwood House; from Queen Victoria's garden at Osborne, complete with charming vegetable plots for the royal children, to the exotic Quarry Garden at Belsay Hall and the modern restraint of the Contemporary Heritage Scheme, here are gardens from every corner of England and almost every century. These essays tell the story of how each was created and of the sometimes eccentric families who owned them. The decay their trees, fountains and statues so often fell into is described - and the way they have been restored and survive to delight us today.

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9780711227712

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Reviews

This book will appeal to those interested in gardening, English history or any one that simply likes to look at lovely photographs. Waterstone's Books Quarterly This book will keep you dreaming of the perfect English garden, well beyond summer. A fascinating take on our gardening heritage. CSMA magazine 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 A valuable reference for anyone interested in English landscapes, gardens and houses. BBC Gardens Illustrated 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 Highlights the landscapes in all their glory. Independent Written in an accessible yet scholarly style, this book tells the story of how each garden was created and of the sometimes eccentric families who owned them. Accompanied by gorgeous and evocative photographs, this is a fantastic book for the amateur and professional historian alike. Image Interiors The authors have managed to entwine their obvious knowledge, expertise and passion for the subject of garden history within a readable and accessible text that brings to life not only gardens, plants and architecture, but also the flamboyant characters behind each property... It uses English Heritage properties to provide the reader with a wide, fairly comprehensive and extremely enjoyable introduction to English garden history and for that it should be applauded. English Garden Think of English Heritage and you think of castles, abbeys and ancient monuments of all kinds, but rarely of the grand parks and gardens that adorn many of these properties across the country. This coffee-table book, beautifully illustrated with high-quality photography, puts the record straight. Writers Gillian mawrey and Linden Groves tell the fascinating stories of these gardens, some of which are of great historical imoprtance, some are horticulturally interesting and others are simply sources of joy. Beautiful Britain Should be compulsory reading before a visit, for the insight and the background it provides. Professional Gardener Individual chapters detail 23 gardens, with supplementary chapters on significant modern places and a clutch of 'also-rans', taking readers on a laudable armchair tour through some of England's most glorious and celebrated outdoor spaces. House & Garden The perfect gift for the garden enthusiast. Retirement Today English Heritage's gardens are much less well-known than those of the National Trust, yet full of surprises and delights! Written by Gillian Mawrey and Linden Grives, with a light touch, it makes a useful companion to National Trust garden histories. Evening Standard The first book to describe the magnificent parks and gardens owned by English Heritage. Garden News The perfect gift for the garden enthusiast. Retirement Today The pictures are excellent and it's well written and researched. Oxford Times This book is incredibly good value, the text very readable and dense with fascinating information, and the numerous illustrations, mainly photographs but also garden plans and other historic material, evocative and informative. Historic Gardens Review One is left wondering what the future holds for this guardian of our past in an age of budgetary restraint. Garden An attractive, authoritative and highly readable book. -- Richard Bisgrove Horticulturalist

This book will appeal to those interested in gardening, English history or any one that simply likes to look at lovely photographs. Waterstone's Books Quarterly This book will keep you dreaming of the perfect English garden, well beyond summer. A fascinating take on our gardening heritage. CSMA magazine 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 A valuable reference for anyone interested in English landscapes, gardens and houses. BBC Gardens Illustrated 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 Highlights the landscapes in all their glory. Independent Written in an accessible yet scholarly style, this book tells the story of how each garden was created and of the sometimes eccentric families who owned them. Accompanied by gorgeous and evocative photographs, this is a fantastic book for the amateur and professional historian alike. Image Interiors The authors have managed to entwine their obvious knowledge, expertise and passion for the subject of garden history within a readable and accessible text that brings to life not only gardens, plants and architecture, but also the flamboyant characters behind each property... It uses English Heritage properties to provide the reader with a wide, fairly comprehensive and extremely enjoyable introduction to English garden history and for that it should be applauded. English Garden Think of English Heritage and you think of castles, abbeys and ancient monuments of all kinds, but rarely of the grand parks and gardens that adorn many of these properties across the country. This coffee-table book, beautifully illustrated with high-quality photography, puts the record straight. Writers Gillian mawrey and Linden Groves tell the fascinating stories of these gardens, some of which are of great historical imoprtance, some are horticulturally interesting and others are simply sources of joy. Beautiful Britain Should be compulsory reading before a visit, for the insight and the background it provides. Professional Gardener Individual chapters detail 23 gardens, with supplementary chapters on significant modern places and a clutch of 'also-rans', taking readers on a laudable armchair tour through some of England's most glorious and celebrated outdoor spaces. House & Garden The perfect gift for the garden enthusiast. Retirement Today English Heritage's gardens are much less well-known than those of the National Trust, yet full of surprises and delights... Written by Gillian Mawrey and Linden Grives, with a light touch, it makes a useful companion to National Trust garden histories. Evening Standard The first book to describe the magnificent parks and gardens owned by English Heritage. Garden News The perfect gift for the garden enthusiast. Retirement Today The pictures are excellent and it's well written and researched. Oxford Times This book is incredibly good value, the text very readable and dense with fascinating information, and the numerous illustrations, mainly photographs but also garden plans and other historic material, evocative and informative. Historic Gardens Review One is left wondering what the future holds for this guardian of our past in an age of budgetary restraint. Garden An attractive, authoritative and highly readable book. -- Richard Bisgrove Horticulturalist The depth of knowledge of these authors, and their love for their subject, is evident in the detail they give for each garden, both of the history and the plants. This book is also a testament to the excellent work of English Heritage and entices the reader to plan visits to all these properties. Brown Book - LMH Oxfordf University

Author Information

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!

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