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Gertrude Jekyll and the Country House Garden: From the Archives of Country Life Hardcover – May 10, 2011
This is the first book in over two decades devoted to the most important garden designer of the twentieth century. Gertrude Jekyll (1843–1932) laid the basis for modern garden design and is credited with popularizing an informal, naturalistic look in counterpoint to the rigid, formal landscapes of the Victorian era. Her collaboration with Edwin Lutyens produced seminal garden masterpieces of the Arts & Crafts movement, including Hestercombe and Folly Farm. Also known as a prolific and influential writer, Jekyll contributed more than a hundred articles to Country Life and designed three gardens for the publication’s founder, Edward Hudson. As a result, the Country Life archive has an unrivaled record of her work. This book includes a combination of both archival black-and-white and contemporary color photographs highlighting a selection of the more than 350 gardens Jekyll created. The book is organized in four sections and then concludes with an extensive bibliography and index. Introduction: Biographical overview: family, training, early influences, travel, homes; Accomplishments as an artist, gardener, designer, and writer; Circle of friends: artists, gardeners, architects, and writers; importance of their personal gardens, such as Gravetye Manor and Warley Place; Relationship with Country Life, Hudson, E. T. Cook, Robinson, Tipping, Weaver, Hussey; Importance of GJ's articles, books, and editorial activities related to Country Life Home and Garden: Discussion of Munstead Wood: its design, development, role of Lutyens, role played in Jekyll's books and articles for Country Life; visuals b/w, autochromes, and new color. Gardens of Lutyens and Jekyll: Discussion of their working and personal relationship; Jekyll's style with Lutyens design; progression of their partnership; Examples include: Orchards (1899), Tigbourne Court (1899), Goddards (1899), Deanery (1901), Bois des Moutiers (1904), Millmead (1905), Marsh Court (1905), Folly Farm (1906), Lambay (1907), Hestercombe (1908), Lindisfarne (1911), Gledstone (1925), Queen's Dolls' House (1924) Gardens for Small Country Houses: Jekyll's garden design style, her work with other architects, gardens she wrote about in Country Life, and influence on other designers; Examples include: Owlpen Manor, Little Boarhunt and Durford Edge (Triggs); Mounton House (Tipping); Hurtwood House and Westbrook (Turner); Manor House at Upton Grey (Newton), Townhill Park (Guthrie); Valewood Farm, Woodhouse Copse, (Oliver Hill) Garden Ornament: common features in period gardens drawn from Jekyll's books Wall and Water Gardens, Gardens for Small Country Houses, and Garden Ornament, with her comments; Examples of pergolas, arbors, water features, garden houses, ornament, etc., such as Iford, Easton, (Peto); Deanery, Heywood, Marsh Court (Lutyens); Mathern and Mounton (Tipping); Leasowes and other Cotswold houses (Gimson et al); Little Boarhunt (Triggs), and more.
- Print length208 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherRizzoli
- Publication dateMay 10, 2011
- Dimensions8.74 x 0.93 x 11.6 inches
- ISBN-100847836339
- ISBN-13978-0847836338
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Editorial Reviews
Review
“This is a splendid book…” ~Country Life
“An artist by training, the British garden designer Gertrude Jekyll created painterly compositions she called ‘living pictures with land and tress and flowers.’ Gertrude Jekyll and the Country House Garden (Rizzoli $45) samples her influential writings and projects from the early 20th century, many of which survive only in photos.” ~Elle Décor
“…the first book in two decades devoted to the most important garden designer of the 20th century. Jekyll, who died in 1932, produced in partnership with Edwin Lutyens seminal garden masterpieces of the Arts and Crafts movement, including Hestercombe and Folly Farm.” ~PaperCity
About the Author
Judith B. Tankard is a well-known landscape historian, author and preservation consultant. She received an M.A. in art history from the Institute of Fine Arts, New York University and taught at the Landscape Institute, Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, since 1987. Her articles and book reviews have been published in many magazines, including Hortus, Apollo and Country Life. She lectures regularly both in the United States and Britain. She is the author or co-author of nine illustrated books on landscape history, including most recently Beatrix Farrand: Private Gardens, Public Landscapes and Gardens of the Arts and Crafts Movement.
Product details
- Publisher : Rizzoli
- Publication date : May 10, 2011
- Edition : First Edition
- Language : English
- Print length : 208 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0847836339
- ISBN-13 : 978-0847836338
- Item Weight : 3.7 pounds
- Dimensions : 8.74 x 0.93 x 11.6 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #442,651 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #143 in Landscape Architecture (Books)
- #192 in Outdoor & Recreational Area Gardening
- #452 in Garden Design (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
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Customers find this book to be a nice coffee table publication with many wonderful photos. They appreciate its value, with one customer noting it provides excellent insight into Gertrude Jekyll's gardens.
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Customers find this book to be a worthwhile addition to their collection, with one customer noting it is particularly valuable for garden and floral enthusiasts.
"...richness of both publications......simply valuable publications for any garden and floral enthusiast.......great history insights too.......Super!" Read more
"So, I should note first off that this is definitely a worthwhile book if you are at all interested in garden history and the style of the time, as..." Read more
"...There are beautiful color as well as black and white photos. A great coffee table book, and an interesting read...." Read more
"While this book is very good, it is also an older classic. As such some readers might be dissatisfied that there are very few colored photographs...." Read more
Customers find the book inspirational, with one mentioning it provides excellent insight into Gertrude Jekyll's gardens and another noting it offers a good understanding of the English garden style.
"...by the writers of both publications to be inspiring from a gardener competence perspective and enjoyable as a practical working tool and the color..." Read more
"...book, taken from Country Life Magazine articles, provides excellent insight into her gardens and work with Sir Edwin Lutyens...." Read more
"...A must for every gardener's library." Read more
"...is a very intressting book with many wonderful photos intressting informationsabout plants and inspirations for my own garden ." Read more
Customers appreciate the many wonderful photos in the book.
"...There are beautiful color as well as black and white photos. A great coffee table book, and an interesting read...." Read more
"I love this book! The pictures, the gardens, the story of Gertrude herself are fantastic...." Read more
"A beautiful and very informative book on the English garden from the world famous Gertrude Jekyll. A must for every gardener's library." Read more
"It is a very intressting book with many wonderful photos intressting informationsabout plants and inspirations for my own garden ." Read more
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on August 3, 2014I grew up in the UK with Gertrude Jekyll being the 'master' female gardener and floral designer - a true pioneer of her time. I was introduced to her concepts by my Grandmother and always followed the Jekyll way when gardening and enjoying cut flower displays for in the home. I have learned so much more about Gertrude as a woman reading and enjoying this publication and The Gardens of Gertrude Jekyll. I believe the knowledge imparted by the writers of both publications to be inspiring from a gardener competence perspective and enjoyable as a practical working tool and the color plates added immensely to the richness of both publications......simply valuable publications for any garden and floral enthusiast.......great history insights too.......Super!
- Reviewed in the United States on August 1, 2013So, I should note first off that this is definitely a worthwhile book if you are at all interested in garden history and the style of the time, as well as in Jekyll herself. That having been said, I was a little frustrated at how many of the pictures were in black and white rather than in color. I consider color to be a necessary aspect of appreciation for a proper garden, and the fact that 80-90% of the photographs in this book are in black and white was a big letdown for me.
- Reviewed in the United States on December 11, 2012I bought this for my mother for Mothers Day this year. She absolutely loved it since my husband and I were married in one of Gertrude Jekyll's gardens, and my mother often visits the garden on a monthly basis for a leisurely stroll. There are beautiful color as well as black and white photos. A great coffee table book, and an interesting read. The packaging provided by was flawfless- none of the book corners were bent, the book came in impeccable condition, and i was very happy to give this book as a gift.
As always, LOVE Amazon. Thanks for making my shopping so much easier and convenient.
- Reviewed in the United States on November 4, 2012Very few of Gertrude Jekyll's original gardens exist today but the book, taken from Country Life Magazine articles, provides excellent insight into her gardens and work with Sir Edwin Lutyens. The before and current photographs add to the understanding of the designs and her role in the design process. The book provides a good understanding of the English garden style and the people who helped create it.
- Reviewed in the United States on November 3, 2015I love this book! The pictures, the gardens, the story of Gertrude herself are fantastic. I can't stop reading it and I think it is a must for all those who love gardening, flowers and plants.
- Reviewed in the United States on January 21, 2021While this book is very good, it is also an older classic. As such some readers might be dissatisfied that there are very few colored photographs. But if one knows the plants one's mind can fill in the blanks.
- Reviewed in the United States on April 6, 2014A beautiful and very informative book on the English garden from the world famous Gertrude Jekyll. A must for every gardener's library.
- Reviewed in the United States on April 24, 2017Absolutely love it
Top reviews from other countries
Shara BenneyReviewed in the United Kingdom on February 25, 20145.0 out of 5 stars Great quality, hours of pleasure
A must for any serious garden lover. Combines wonderful photography with good descriptive prose. The next best thing to actually visiting these gardens.
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Lyon JamesReviewed in France on February 25, 20155.0 out of 5 stars Un rêve
Une visite au paradis. La personnalité et l'imagination de Gertrude Jekyll nous fait rêver. Dans sa conception du jardin, il y a non seulement la beauté mais aussi la vérité et la bonté. Un émerveillement permanent.
Debbie SmithReviewed in the United Kingdom on December 11, 20134.0 out of 5 stars Lovely book with lots of photos
Nice picture book with lots of photographs a nice book to read when you sit down and relax with a cup of tea
Jan SuyderhoudReviewed in the United Kingdom on May 17, 20115.0 out of 5 stars Gertrude Jekyll and Country Life
Aurum Press has published more than twenty books on houses and gardens based on the archives of Country Life Magazine. Each book has selected the houses, their interiors and gardens from a certain perspective, such as region, period, architect or having been demolished. This book is one of the latest in these series, now based on the works and life of Gertrude Jekyll, the most famous English garden writer and designer at the beginning of the 20th century. Country Life published many of her books and her articles on gardens and gardening were often placed in their magazine. The text of this volume is informative and well documented, with chapters named after titles of her books. The greatest strength of this book is the selection and arrangement of the beautiful photographs along the text. The time span of these pictures is more than hundred years, from old fashioned black and white to recent colour photographs, here presented in an coherent manner, by selecting either colour or black and white photographs for each garden or topic discussed, which gives the book a pleasant presentation. The last sentence of this book is an excellent summary: "Jekyll set the record straight on the difference between commonplace gardening and that which could be ranked as fine art". In case you already possess Jane Brown's "Gardens of a golden afternoon" or Richard Bisgrove's "The Gardens of Gertrude Jekyll", this book will be a valuable addition. Highly recommended for all English garden lovers.
Rosemary S. PerrettReviewed in the United Kingdom on January 21, 20155.0 out of 5 stars A gorgeous volume.
A gorgeous volume. Very informative and a pleasure to read. Particulary good photographs in beautiful colour.







