The Story of Gardening

by Penelope Hobhouse

A fascinating, definitive history of garden development and design. From the earliest documented gardens of ancient Mesopotamia to the eclectic landscapes of the 21st century, The Story of Gardening is an engaging tale of the development and design of the garden. Brimming with glorious full-color photographs, intriguing timelines that chart the histories and fashions of individual plants, and evocative narratives, Hobhouse draws on a lifetime of work to create an enlightening overview of designers and styles that have inspired her creations and forged her gardening philosophy.

Genres: Gardening, Nonfiction, History

468 pages, Hardcover

First published October 31, 2002

Reviews

[Lovisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Väldigt intressant bok om trädgårdarna historia, dock på svår engelska och aldeles för låååånnnngggg.

[Gang Chen, Author of "Planting Design Illustrated" · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must-have for all gardeners!

"The story of gardening, traced through almost three millennia to the 21st century, is not just one story but an infinite number-as many as there have been gardeners. And it can be told in infinite ways..." Penelope Hobhouse, one of the most prolific and talented garden authors of our time, wrote. She started her story from the origins of gardening: the records and remains of the gardens and parks of Mesopotamia, Egypt and Persia, our heritage: ancient Greece and Roman gardens. She then moved on to the gardens of Islam: heavenly beauty, earthly delight, the medieval gardens of Christendom, the flowering of European gardens during Renaissance, the English landscape gardens, the Eclectic gardens in 19th century and gardens in America.

Penelope also explored gardens of China: a timeless tradition, the long history of Chinese gardening and its links with the landscape and painting, and Japanese style: its essential elements of design and its influence on the rest of the world, and the discussions on a time of change from Naturalism to Modernism (1870 to 1950), and today and tomorrow: a world of opportunities.

Penelope Hobhouse limited and concentrated the scope of her book to "gardening for pleasure," excluding "crops"-agriculture and functional productive horticulture, and "Hobby gardening"-prize dahlias, alpine troughs and bonsai-all fields for the enthusiasms of experts.

"Story of Gardening" has 468 pages and many dazzling color interior photos and a very useful comparative time chart of garden development in all cultures. It is a must-have for all gardeners.

[Lise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since I'm currently enrolled in the Longwood Gardens ornamental horticulture program, I find Penelope Hobhouse's 'The Story of Gardening' to be a useful historical reference. The book is quite dense, so I wasn't able to read it from cover to cover before having to return it to the library. But I would definitely pick up a copy to keep on hand and use as a reference encyclopedia.

[Michael Heath-Caldwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Large, thick, comprehensive book on gardens from around the world.