National Trust Home & Garden
3 total works
When the National Trust decided to take on the care of gardens, the aim was that these would be the very best of their kind in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Trust now has the finest collection of gardens ever assembled under one ownership - the greatest in number, diversity, historic importance and quality. Taken together they contain the world's most important collection of cultivated plants, distinguished for their beauty, rarity, historical interest and scientific value.
First published in 1996, this new edition has been substantially revised to showcase superb new photography, and to introduce recently acquired properties such as Greenway in Devon and the gardens of houses such as Red House in Kent and Tyntesfield in Somerset. Stephen Lacey paints a vivid picture of individual Trust gardens through historical and horticultural perspectives. He gives his personal take, describing the present state of each and placing it firmly within the context of gardening history in Britain.
All the major periods are represented: a knot garden from a 1640 design at Moseley Old Hall in Staffordshire; magnificent eighteenth-century landscapes such as 'Capability' Brown's at Petworth in Sussex; Victorian Gardens like Biddulph Grange in Staffordshire, with its wealth of new plants introduced from all over the world; and the famous plantsmen's gardens of the last century, such as Nymans in Sussex, Sissinghurst Castle in Kent, and Hidcote in Gloucestershire.
The National Trust has the finest collection of gardens in the United Kingdom. In this book Stephen Lacey paints a vivid historical and horticultural picture of the individual gardens, placing them firmly within the context of gardening history in Britain.
All the major periods and styles of garden design are represented, ranging from the formality of early gardens such as Hanbury Hall and Ham House, magnificent 18th-century landscapes like Stowe and Croome Park and the heady Victorian creations of Biddulph Grange and Waddesdon Manor to the famous plantsmen’s gardens of the last century, such as Nymans, Hidcote Manor and Sissinghurst Castle.
Much has happened in the gardens of the National Trust since the last revision of this book, and this edition has been substantially revised to embrace recent restorations – notably of walled kitchen gardens in numerous properties – to introduce recently acquired properties, and to showcase superb new photography. Nine gardens make their debut in this new edition, the Trust having acquired Seaton Delaval Hall, Sunnycroft, Godolphin, Quarry Bank House and parts of the surrounding Styal estate, and undertaken improvements at Treasurer’s House, Goddards, Wordsworth House and Sheringham. Woolbeding also opens for the first time, presenting the work of more contemporary garden designers. The book serves as a practical guide as well as a source of inspiration. Each entry gives details of soil type and climate and an appendix includes many other gardens to visit. In addition, there are practical features on different aspects of gardening, written by National Trust head gardeners. Glorious colour photographs illustrate the entries, complementing the text to bring the gardens to life.
Stephen Lacey paints a vivid historical and horticultural picture of the great gardens of the National Trust. All the major periods and styles of garden design are represented, ranging from magnificent 18th century landscapes like Stowe and Croome Park, and heady Victorian creations at Biddulph Grange and Waddeston Manor, to famous plantsmen's gardens of the last century, such as those at Hidcote Manor and Sissinghurst Castle. Glorious colour photographs complement eloquent prose to bring the gardens to life.