The RHS Book of Garden Verse

From the RHS comes this celebration of the garden, spanning the centuries and the globe. From the Garden of Eden to small backyards, from scented memories to bonfires and neighbours' rights, from suggestive slugs to paranoid palm-house gardeners, the poems burst out in a biodiversity of fun, exotic beauty and earthy philosophy. There's something for everyone, with a glorious array of gardening classics, perennial favourites and more recent contributions from Dorothy Parker, Sylvia Plath and John Agard. 

Each poem is illustrated with a botanical print, a hand-coloured or black and white engraving, or a watercolour drawing - all from the remarkable collection of botanical art at the Royal Horticultural Society's Lindley Library, acknowledged as the world's finest horticultural library. Together they create a colourful collection to invigorate gardening enthusiasts, delight landscape-lovers and inspire armchair gardeners everywhere.

• ISBN13: 9780711256514
• Publish Date: 2 March 2021
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: GB
• Imprint: Frances Lincoln Publishers Ltd
• Edition: New Edition
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 128
• Language: English

Reviews

[annieb123]

Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

The RHS Book of Garden Verse is a beautifully curated collection of poetry accompanied by garden related images from the RHS' Lindley Library collection . Due out 2nd March 2021 from Quarto on their Frances Lincoln imprint, it's 128 pages and will be available in hardcover and ebook formats.

This is such a restful and lovely book. The images are varied and beautiful and the poetry is well curated and classic. The selections are arranged roughly thematically: seasons, gardening, plants, creatures, gardens, and past present & future. The poetry and the illustrations represent a broad range of styles, schools, and times. There are selections from incomparably famous poets and writers (Dylan Thomas, Coleridge, Browning, Kipling, the Bible, and many more) as well as ones who were previously unfamiliar to me. The illustrations run the gamut from 14th century woodcuts to 19th century botanical prints, and on to the 20th century.

The book also includes a couple of useful appendices in the form of first lines from the included poem offerings along with an image index.

This would make a superlative gift for a gardening friend (or oneself), as well as a lovely acquisition for public library, and gardening club lending library use.

Five stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.