The English Cottage Garden [Paperback]

Jane Taylor (Author), Andrew Lawson (Author)

Book Description

Series: Country Series | Publication Date: December 31, 2001

An intricate mix of beauty, utility, wildness, and domestication: that's the quintessential British garden. From its medieval beginnings as a yard for livestock and vegetables, the cottage garden became a retreat for the gentry of the 17th century, and then took on a new dimension of sophistication--though it never relinquished its original functional roots. Take a tour through rows of medicinal herbs, topiary, woodland, meadow flowers, and even exotic species. A lovely and inspiring tribute to a classic form of planting.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Most U.S. gardeners can only imagine a climate conducive to growing the lush perennials associated with English cottage-style plantings, but the fascination with this type of garden continues to flourish. A prominent gardening photographer, Larson supplies countless images of charming country homes bedecked with roses and wisteria running riot over arbors, amazing topiaries lending structural form, and flowers spilling over all sorts of delightful stone and brick pathways. Taylor comments on artists and designers who influenced English horticultural trends, explains various architectural styles, and, referring to sources both historical and literary, entertains with herbal and plant lore. Most plant descriptions are of a general nature, noting specific varieties or cultivars less often. Alice Joyce --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

& PHOTOGRAPHER Jane Taylor has written eleven books about gardens, including the Kew Gardening Series, Climbing Plants, and Tender Perennials. She was a Deputy General Secretary of the National Council for the Conservation of Plants and Gardens. Andrew Lawson is one of our most inspired and knowledgeable garden photographers. His pictures have illustrated many books, including Good Planting, The Terracotta Gardener, The Container Gardener, Highgrove: Portrait of an Estate, and the bestselling Garden at Highgrove. Andrew Lawson lives in Charlbury, Oxfordshire.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Seven Dials (December 31, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1841881511
• ISBN-13: 978-1841881515
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 7.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #459,503 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book captures the English countryside., March 16, 2000

By 

Linda Gebhardt (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The English Cottage Garden (Paperback)

I went to England for the first time and loved the countryside! It is so vibrant. My own photographs have never turned out very well so I bought this book while I was there to capture the England that I fell in love with. It has a wide range of beautifully photographed cottages and gardens. I am online buying 2 more copies as gifts for friends.

5.0 out of 5 stars The English Cottage Garden #34, January 22, 2012

By 

PATRICIA J. ROSSITER - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The English Cottage Garden (Country series,No. 34) (Hardcover)

This book is just chocked full of photos of old English Cottages and gardens,two loves of mine. It is a trip to an earlier time with information included about each photo and a bit of history thrown in. This is book number 34 of an extended series about the English Countryside. Lovely book, I would love to acquire all the titles. A definite positive addition to any lover of English Cottage Gardens!