The Once and Future Gardener: Garden Writing from the Golden Age of Magazines, 1900-1940 [Hardcover]

Virginia Tuttle Clayton (Author, Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1567921027 | ISBN-13: 978-1567921021 | Publication Date: December 1, 1999 | Edition: 1

The first four decades of this century provided the average American with the best magazines published in this country, as well as our most distinguished garden writing. The first national medium of mass communication, these journals had a formitive influence on American culture. Many of their garden articles were by authors we recognize today as singularly fascinating voices: Louise Beebe Wilder, Grace Tabor, Fletcher Steele, Wilhelm Miller, and Mrs. Francis King. But some of the best were by amatuers who wrote about their gardens with wonderful enthusiasm and intelligence while earning their livings in other professions. <P>Virginia Clayton has selected over fifty of these marvels of garden prose and arranged them in chapters covering everything from "Wild Gardens" and "Formal Gardens" to "A Year in the Garden." The book also includes photographs from the articles themselves, as well as a color plate section reproducing twenty-one glorious magazine covers. <P>This is truly the book for the "once and future gardener," a delightful and authoritative reference work that no serious gardener, or garden historian, should be without.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Clayton, associate curator of old master prints at the National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, introduces this anthology with a succinct history of the literature of amateur gardening and of gardening in mainstream magazines. The 59 articles she has chosen from popular pre-World War II titles such as The House Beautiful and Country Life in America cover a broad range of topics. There are literary essays by well-known professionals as well as more practical ones by amateur gardeners whose advice is often still useful. The somewhat artificial organization is by chapters ranging from "A Year in the Garden" to "Formal, Italian Gardens and the Use of Architectural Features and Furnishings." Clayton provides capsule biographies of the authors and places each selection in its historical context. Reprints of the black-and-white illustrations, plus color plates of some of the magazine covers, add to the reader's pleasure. Recommended for large public and academic libraries.
-Daniel Starr, Museum of Modern Art, New York
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Virginia Clayton is an Associate Curator at the National Gallery of Art.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: David R Godine; 1 edition (December 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1567921027
• ISBN-13: 978-1567921021
• Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 7.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,478,829 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Your grandmother's garden...., June 30, 2001

By 

Dianne Foster "Di" (USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Once and Future Gardener: Garden Writing from the Golden Age of Magazines, 1900-1940 (Hardcover)

THE ONCE AND FUTURE GARDENER, GARDEN WRITING FROM THE GOLDEN AGE OF MAGAZINES 1900 to 1940, by Virginia Clayton is a collection of articles printed in leading "women's" magazines over the first half of the past century. Although some of the ideas in these articles remain salient, and Clayton has inserted the current scientific (Latin) notation beside each named plant described and/or recommended by the various authors, this book is not as much a garden book as it is a useful resource for garden historians or readers who want to take a trip down memory lane.

Clayton has organized the book into seven sections that cover these topics "A year in the garden"; "Gardening with trees, roses and shrubs"; "Flower garden designs"; "Wild gardens"; "Old-fashioned gardens"; "Formal Italian gardens"; and "The Philosphical gardener." Most of the articles are relatively short, and a few are several pages. I most enjoyed the section on Italian gardens which Americans seem to dislike, according to several of the authors, but are the basis for most western garden design. I don't know that I agree with this notion, or even if it is true, but these authors make convincing cases.

I had not realized what a profound affect Edith Wharton had had on the garden writers of her time--the early 1900s. She traveled quite a lot in her mature years, principally with Henry James, and she spent a good deal of time in Italy. Her observations about her trips are quoted in several places. This is an interesting book and good reading for those who may wonder what their grandmothers read on those cold winter nights during winter when they planned next year's garden.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Much more information than meets the glance, April 5, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: The Once and Future Gardener: Garden Writing from the Golden Age of Magazines, 1900-1940 (Hardcover)

Its handsome period illustrations and subtitle--garden writing from the golden age of magazines--suggest that this is just a charming exercise in nostalgia. Far from the case. These articles offer a great deal of practical gardening information from hands-on gardeners that is often very hard to find. It's particularly helful on gardening with native plants and I find myself consulting it repeatedly.

5.0 out of 5 stars Understanding 1920's Gardens and Design, March 27, 2011

By 

Jean (Spokane, WA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Once and Future Gardener: Garden Writing from the Golden Age of Magazines, 1900-1940 (Hardcover)

I bought this book (great price!) hoping that I could get some idea of how to plan a new garden/yard around my 1927 house (which I am restoring). This book more than met my hopes and expectations. I now feel confident to move ahead with borders and flower beds that will look like they would have if I had been here in 1927 and planned the perfect yard for this wond4erful little house. I got this book used and the price was incredibly low! What a buy, what a wonderful book of beautiful writing, what a great resource as I continue to plan and plant!