Skymeadow: Notes from an English Gardener

by Charlie Hart

When Charlie Hart first visited Peverels, a small farmhouse that sits lazily on the lip of a hill running down into the Peb Valley, he was at breaking point, grieving the loss of his father and anxious about the impending death of his mother. He and his wife Sybilla felt that their London life had been steadily growing in noise: the noise of grief, the noise of busyness, the noise that comes from the expectations of others and, for Charlie, the constant clamour of dissatisfaction at work.
At Peverels, Charlie found an expanse of untouched meadowland, the perfect setting for an audacious garden. Charlie felt an unquenchable urge to dig, to create something. The days he spent wrestling with the soil in the rose garden were the days in which he mourned the loss of his parents. Gardening has taught him that you can dig for victory, but you can also dig for mental health. As the garden formed around Charlie, he buried his fears and anxieties within it. A garden that is now known as Skymeadow and grows with a lusty, almost biblical vigour.
In Skymeadow, Charlie seamlessly weaves together his own memoir with that of his garden. The result is a lyrical and incisive story of mental health at an all-time low, the healing powers of digging and, ultimately, a celebration of nature.

Genres: Gardening, Nonfiction

288 pages, Hardcover

Published April 19, 2018

About the author

See also Frankie Love

Reviews

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the idea of this book more than I liked the book itself. The gardening information wasn't particularly inspiring, and the exploration of the author's grief was rather haphazard and obliquely alluded to with brief chapters where 'the eagle' featured. What was increasingly fascinating as the book went on was the nagging question 'so who is Charlie Hart?' This took me to the internet, other reviews (and some beautiful pictures of Skymeadow) and a much more interesting story. How did this fellow switch business for gardening and develop an idyllic life? At the end of the day who your family are and who you know make all the difference in the world!

[Victoria (hotcocoaandbooks) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Charlie Hart moved his family from London into the countryside in order to pursue his dream of having a garden of his own to work on. The way he writes this book reminds me of some of the books from the 19th or early 20th century, but it is from current times. He talks about what it was like moving, going through grief, and being a husband and father all while explaining some of his set-up of his gardening throughout the seasons. It was quite nice to read.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Writer moves with his family from London to rural Essex and begins to make a garden out of the field around their home. As he digs and plants he works through his grief after death of his parents, and learns to cope with his anxieties whilst appreciating his surroundings and sharing it all with his family.

[Em's Adventures · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a lovely,cozy and medatitive little book this is. I felt so happy to read about someone with the same sorts of thoughts and values as I (though I confess I was stumped by the metaphorical eagle -what was that about.. anyone?) and so nice to read about people who are content and happy without striving for material possessions.

[stuart martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not so much a gardening book as a book of life

Interesting book which whilst nominally about gardening was more about the positive impact of tending the land and learning the rhythms of life.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surprisingly lovely. Surprising because I didn’t know what to expect. Lovely because Charlie’s honesty about his grief and his poignant and funny reflections about his garden and house in Essex were a joy to read.

[Matthew Ruscoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was not what I was expecting!! But as a gardener myself - very entertained!

[Fatima · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautiful, quote-able words in some chapters, insightful gardening tips in some, but some parts felt like filler text IMHO. A good book all the same.

[✰matthew✰ · Rating 5 out of 5]

i really enjoyed this book, it wasn’t just about gardening but about the seasons, mental health, grief, loss, love, families and the healing power of fresh air. a really pleasant surprise !!

[George Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I could feel the author’s intention for this book— something deep, personal and scholarly. I did not think they quite managed it, but nevertheless I enjoyed it and learnt some new things.

[Peacefulbookery · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simply told but heartfelt.

[Imogen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do love a memoir/ nature book and this one definitely ticked all the right boxes.