One Hundred English Gardens: The Best of the English Heritage Parks and Gardens [Hardcover]

Patrick Taylor (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 16, 2002

This elegant book presents one hundred of the most beautiful historic gardens in England. The gardens range from the neoclassical paradise of Stourhead to the subtropical splendour of Tresco Abbey and the soothing calm of the White Garden at Sissinghurst, all photographed in stunning color by leading British garden photographers. Each garden is presented at its most glorious moment-- whether at twilight or midday, in autumn, or at the height of summer.

English Heritage has spent over ten years identifying and grading the fabulous wealth of parks and gardens throughout England on the basis of their historical significance, state of preservation and level of general interest. This information is compiled in the English Heritage Parks and Gardens Register, from which the respected horticultural author Patrick Taylor has selected one hundred favorites. In his lively and informative style, he reveals the historic background to each garden and discusses the modern-day plantings.

A comprehensive index, county map, and opening times for each garden offer information for the traveler. Lush, full-color photographs capture the essence of each garden for an inspiring tour of the best of a grand gardening tradition.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

The English Heritage Parks and Gardens Register is a record of gardens deemed to possess special historical importance. It also preserves and protects through custodial care and financial assistance. Taylor, author of A Gardener's Guide to Britain, is particularly qualified to select 100 outstanding sites from the more than 1,500 overall. Expect to find evocative photographs of formidable landscapes in a lavish book that interprets a particularly remarkable aspect of English culture. Taylor's accompanying text portrays key personalities associated with each garden's design, planning, and execution and describes architectural elements not illustrated--of castles and manor houses, of classical statuary and unique structural features. Readers dreaming of a visit are provided with listings of addresses and opening times. Alice Joyce

About the Author

Patrick Taylor is the author of several gardening books including Period Gardens, and the annual Gardener's Guide to Britain. He regularly travels the gardens in the United Kingdom and beyond in his capacities as a writer on horticulture and gardening history, and as an experienced garden photographer. Born in France and brought up in Scotland, Taylor now lives in Wells, Somerset.

English Heritage is the principal expert adviser to the English government and the general public on all aspects of the historic environment of England. The organization is custodian of many properties with important historic gardens. Its Gardens Register has over 1,500 entries and is under constant revision.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 208 pages
• Publisher: Rizzoli (October 16, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0847819353
• ISBN-13: 978-0847819355
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 10.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #698,381 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not as good as I had expected (or hoped), October 5, 2004

By 

MartinP "MartinP" (Nijmegen, The Netherlands) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: One Hundred English Gardens: The Best of the English Heritage Parks and Gardens (Hardcover)

Is there anything nearer paradise on earth than a Capability Brown garden stretching into the distance around an English stately home? Gardening has always been a specialty of the English, and a must for the aristocracy. This book attempts to document the most memorably successful results found on country estates. Attempts, I say, because catching the essence of a garden in a photograph is not an easy task, and one at which the makers of this book do not entirely succeed, in my opinion. To be sure there are some impressively atmospheric images here; of the Mausoleum at Castle Howard for instance, or some mysteriously misty takes at Haddon Hall.
Other images however are harshly, unnaturally colored, with reds leaping of the page. Some have artificially added blue skies, most notably that of the garden at Sudeley Castle, which looks like a cheap Seventies postcard. There is a graininess to the pictures as well, and some are printed out of focus. Thicker, glossy paper would have helped. All in all not what you would expect of such a highbrow (and high price) publisher like Rizzoli. An additional disappointment is that because 100 gardens are covered, we get to see only one or two images of each of them - the book only has just over 200 pages. To enjoy a really successful garden book of this kind, I would advise you to look out for the dazzling, newly published "The Gardens at Buckingham Palace" by Brown and Sykes.

7 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mine and Kevin's Garden Someday, January 23, 2003

By 

Lisa Kevin Calladine "lisa.k.calladine@exxonm... (Annandale, Virginia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: One Hundred English Gardens: The Best of the English Heritage Parks and Gardens (Hardcover)

Beautiful - serene - inspirational. A home and a garden like ones in the book is my piece of Heaven on earth.

Beautifully illustrated - enough to touch and feel the warmth and glory of Nature!