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War Gardens
A journey through the most unlikely of the oases of peace people create in the midst of warIn this millennium, we have become war weary. From Afghanistan to Iraq, from Ukraine to South Sudan and Syria, from Kashmir to the West Bank, conflict is as contagious and poisonous as Japanese knotweed. Living through it are people just like us with ordinary jobs, ordinary pressures and ordinary lives. Against a new landscape of horror and violence it is up to them to maintain a modicum of normality and colour. For some, gardening is the way to achieve this.Working in the world's most dangerous war zones, freelance war correspondent and photographer Lally Snow has often chanced across a very moving sight, a testimony to the triumph of the human spirit in adversity, a celebration of hope and a war garden. In Kabul, the royal gardens are tended by a centenarian gardener, though the king is long gone; in Camp Bastion, bored soldiers improvise tiny gardens to give themselves a moment's peace; on both sides of the dividing line in Jerusalem families tend groves of olives and raise beautiful plants from the unforgiving, disputed landscape; in Ukraine, families tend their gardens in the middle of a surreal, frozen war.War Gardens is a surprising, tragic and beautiful journey through the darkest places of the modern world, revealing the ways people make time and space for themselves and for nature even in the middle of destruction. Illustrated with Lally Snow's own award-winning photography, this is a book to treasure.
352 pages, Paperback
Published September 6, 2018
25 people are currently reading
387 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
January 30, 2023
The second instalment in my membership of Shelterbox book club - a great choice and so varied from the last, a novel!
Lalage Snow is a seriously cool person. Her bravery as a (generally) independent operator in some of the toughest war zones on the planet over the last decade is only to be admired. I also think her conception of this book, focussed on the lovingly tended garden oases within the war zones is so original, so tender. She is curious about the countries, not just in search of gore.
The book focuses on Afghanistan and the Israeli and Palestinian Territories, with a chapter on Ukraine and some other sections. The parts I found particularly powerful were the contrasting chapters as Lalage crossed from Gaza to the Israeli kibbutzim.
I also admire how Snow truly recognises the deep, millennia old traditions of gardens within Afghanistan. Of course, it’s heart rending to read of such a beautiful country with such beautiful traditions suffering so much.
The book is one I forced myself to read slowly , and is best read when one has the headspace to take it in. It will stay with you.
Lalage Snow is a seriously cool person. Her bravery as a (generally) independent operator in some of the toughest war zones on the planet over the last decade is only to be admired. I also think her conception of this book, focussed on the lovingly tended garden oases within the war zones is so original, so tender. She is curious about the countries, not just in search of gore.
The book focuses on Afghanistan and the Israeli and Palestinian Territories, with a chapter on Ukraine and some other sections. The parts I found particularly powerful were the contrasting chapters as Lalage crossed from Gaza to the Israeli kibbutzim.
I also admire how Snow truly recognises the deep, millennia old traditions of gardens within Afghanistan. Of course, it’s heart rending to read of such a beautiful country with such beautiful traditions suffering so much.
The book is one I forced myself to read slowly , and is best read when one has the headspace to take it in. It will stay with you.
February 3, 2023
Another book from Shelterbox book club and a wonderful piece of literature. Fantastic touching writing that takes us into the heart and soul of places deeply troubled by war and violence but somehow leaves us with a smile on our faces. Can see this being my book of the year despite us only being in February
February 10, 2023
Took me a while to get into this, but it is a fascinating perspective on how & why people survive living in a warzone. The section alternating Palestinian & Isreali stories was particularly powerful. However the author inserting herself felt a little off putting, especially as she didn’t really explain her troubles, so it didn’t contrast we’ll compare to the war survival she interviewed. Also it was strange that, although the author is a war photographer, the few pictures were small, black and white & not place in relation to their stories. Also loses marks for her outdated opinion on drs ordering nurses around.
February 8, 2023
Can't wait for spring & to spend time in my garden.
January 19, 2019
It's strange that in tragedy there are moments of levity. That these moments can even exist. Not because they're impossible, but because we're conditioned to think that they shouldn't happen. People sob at a funeral, but if someone laughs at funny memory, everyone thinks that someone is an asshole. Or for example, the smallest of personal tragedies, a sick child feels like they have to "act sick" and look completely miserable for fear of being labeled healthy enough to go to school. We want to think tragedy is all one sided, tragedy through and through, and if it's not then it's not really a tragedy. But that is the emotional truth of tragedy and not the reality. The reality of tragedy is more complex, more human. This is the type of tragedy in which Lalage Snow embeds herself. Real tragedy. Places we may point to on a map and say the people that live here, live in suffering through no fault of their own; they were born into it. Here, where your next day does not feel guaranteed, where it feels equally likely to catch a fish or have your sons and daughters blown up by a mortar, where all that is yours can be taken from you without recourse, where you feel like you have no control of the reigns of your life—here there exists levity and kindness and tea and barrel cacti and poppy flowers and the stubborn will to live a meaningful life. Lalage Snow is your affable guide through this world, and I can think of no more intimate way (than perhaps going yourself) to explore the hazardous areas of the world. 5/5.
April 10, 2023
Fascinating and devastating and uplifting and eye opening. Some incredible human stories. But for me, there's only so many garden descriptions I can read and the dark black and white photos on the book did nothing to help.
November 6, 2018
amazing book in the midst of terrible circumstances wonderful stories of how these amazing people garden in the most difficult conditions .one to inspire .
December 27, 2019
‘Green is happiness. Green is peace.’ Loved this book so much.
January 31, 2023
“War Gardens” by Lalage Snow - ‘A journey through conflict in search of calm’
Not a book I’d have likely stumbled across if it weren’t for Shelter Box Book Club, but I voted for it out of 3 very different and interesting looking books. What appealed to me was the conflicting images of gardens (peaceful, regenerative and colourful) with war (destructive and hostile) and this book delivered on my hopes and expectations. (When I was a young girl I wanted to be a gardener when I grew up, sadly lack of patience foiled this aspiration, but I often think I’d be a much happier person if I was a gardener. Ironically 8 years ago I was ditched by someone I’d met through online dating because “I’d kill to have a garden like yours, I’d never let it turn into an overgrown nature reserve” but that’s a whole other story.)
The book tracks into segments about gardens and those who create and care for them across locations varied in geography and climate, but with a common theme of conflict - Afghanistan, Israel, Gaza, Ukraine and even Washington DC.
I loved the passion and empathetic detail of Snow’s descriptions of formal and stately type gardens to small balconies with a handful of plant pots. The way she gets to know very different people through their relationships to plants and the land.
Snow for me has much more clearly given me insight into the complex socio, political and geographical challenges of Israel, Gaza and The West Bank by relating all the discourse to land via gardens, hugely insightful and easier to digest than anything else I’ve read, although I’m still perplexed by it.
A garden has so many uses and functions, but planting anything is an endearing symbol of hope for a fruitful tomorrow which must be vital for many in such difficult war conflicts.
I was fortunate to have the time and headspace to read this on holiday in Barbados in a beautiful hotel complex with their own gardens bursting with colourful cerise Bourgainvillea (apparently very hard to grow in the UK), bird of paradise and with hummingbirds and Barbadian bullfinches.
I am giving this a strong 4.5 out of 5 with my only yearning of more colour pictures as the black and white photos (even with the beautiful descriptions from Snow) left me wanting more.
Not a book I’d have likely stumbled across if it weren’t for Shelter Box Book Club, but I voted for it out of 3 very different and interesting looking books. What appealed to me was the conflicting images of gardens (peaceful, regenerative and colourful) with war (destructive and hostile) and this book delivered on my hopes and expectations. (When I was a young girl I wanted to be a gardener when I grew up, sadly lack of patience foiled this aspiration, but I often think I’d be a much happier person if I was a gardener. Ironically 8 years ago I was ditched by someone I’d met through online dating because “I’d kill to have a garden like yours, I’d never let it turn into an overgrown nature reserve” but that’s a whole other story.)
The book tracks into segments about gardens and those who create and care for them across locations varied in geography and climate, but with a common theme of conflict - Afghanistan, Israel, Gaza, Ukraine and even Washington DC.
I loved the passion and empathetic detail of Snow’s descriptions of formal and stately type gardens to small balconies with a handful of plant pots. The way she gets to know very different people through their relationships to plants and the land.
Snow for me has much more clearly given me insight into the complex socio, political and geographical challenges of Israel, Gaza and The West Bank by relating all the discourse to land via gardens, hugely insightful and easier to digest than anything else I’ve read, although I’m still perplexed by it.
A garden has so many uses and functions, but planting anything is an endearing symbol of hope for a fruitful tomorrow which must be vital for many in such difficult war conflicts.
I was fortunate to have the time and headspace to read this on holiday in Barbados in a beautiful hotel complex with their own gardens bursting with colourful cerise Bourgainvillea (apparently very hard to grow in the UK), bird of paradise and with hummingbirds and Barbadian bullfinches.
I am giving this a strong 4.5 out of 5 with my only yearning of more colour pictures as the black and white photos (even with the beautiful descriptions from Snow) left me wanting more.
October 8, 2019
I was really excited to start War Gardens; the idea of seeing what people create and consider important when under imminent threat is fascinating. As someone who has never lived in a war zone (and I hope I never do) the permenance of a garden seems an unlikely thing to invest time and limited resources into, however the peace a garden provides obviously gives far more than just the food that can be grown there.
Lalage Snow is a British born writer and photographer who has spent years in various conflict zones as a freelance journalist and it is her own experiences of finding peace in gardens that lead her to this book. Although fora book by a photographer I was dissapointed that there were not more pictures of the many gardens discribed - I hope at some point this book is re-released as a fully illustrated coffee-table format book (as has been done for Peter Wohlleben's The Hidden Life of Trees).
However, the gardens, gardeners and the conflicts are all fascinating; and have made me realise how little I really know about many of the conflicts currently going on around the world (particularly the Gaza, Israel, Palestine situation). By talking about gardens Snow manages to get a new perspective on living in a warzone - there are a great many books written about war but very few feature people who are proud of their cactus collection. She also shows how much love and pride people take in their creations, at times even risking their lives to stay when it would be more sensible to leave. Speaking to gardeners on both sides of a conflict enables us to see the commonalities rather than the differences that get between people. The book manages to be both bleak and hopeful - afterall, where there is a garden there is hope.
Lalage Snow is a British born writer and photographer who has spent years in various conflict zones as a freelance journalist and it is her own experiences of finding peace in gardens that lead her to this book. Although fora book by a photographer I was dissapointed that there were not more pictures of the many gardens discribed - I hope at some point this book is re-released as a fully illustrated coffee-table format book (as has been done for Peter Wohlleben's The Hidden Life of Trees).
However, the gardens, gardeners and the conflicts are all fascinating; and have made me realise how little I really know about many of the conflicts currently going on around the world (particularly the Gaza, Israel, Palestine situation). By talking about gardens Snow manages to get a new perspective on living in a warzone - there are a great many books written about war but very few feature people who are proud of their cactus collection. She also shows how much love and pride people take in their creations, at times even risking their lives to stay when it would be more sensible to leave. Speaking to gardeners on both sides of a conflict enables us to see the commonalities rather than the differences that get between people. The book manages to be both bleak and hopeful - afterall, where there is a garden there is hope.
February 15, 2023
Have just finished this amazing book an hour before my book club (Shelterbox) are due to discuss it via Zoom. As the title suggests, it tells the story of gardens in war zones and places where conflict is just below the surface. The author is a freelance writer photojournalist and filmmaker artist and poet. In some cases, her assignments (some quite lengthy) lead her close to the front line and the dangers that brings to both physical and mental health. The tension is sometimes palpable but when she visits the gardens (mostly private gardens) there is a feeling of normality and of peace.
It is quite a sad book, (quite removed from those gardens visited by Monty Don for instance) and the stories of the gardeners are revealing in both in the context of local history as well as the sometimes harrowing personal stories of the gardeners themselves. Through the sadness however, there is an overwhelming sense of optimism that nature must be preserved and sprits restored through the process of nurturing plants and being rewarded with there perfect order and beauty.
It was a thought provoking book, the journalist always trying to question and get both points of view across the divide of war and conflict. It was the first book of non-fiction that I have read in our book club and an excellent choice. Through the voices of the gardeners interviewed, I am better informed and now look at my own garden in a different way.
It is quite a sad book, (quite removed from those gardens visited by Monty Don for instance) and the stories of the gardeners are revealing in both in the context of local history as well as the sometimes harrowing personal stories of the gardeners themselves. Through the sadness however, there is an overwhelming sense of optimism that nature must be preserved and sprits restored through the process of nurturing plants and being rewarded with there perfect order and beauty.
It was a thought provoking book, the journalist always trying to question and get both points of view across the divide of war and conflict. It was the first book of non-fiction that I have read in our book club and an excellent choice. Through the voices of the gardeners interviewed, I am better informed and now look at my own garden in a different way.
August 30, 2022
i liked this book some what actually.
it is about a women called lalage snow who is from england.
she is a war reporter and also a photographer.
she goes to different countries and does reporting from there and covers the latest news.
it was interesting and well written.
she first goes to kabul,afghanistan where the locals show her the war gardens , she talks about the bad situation of women over there and about the taliban and about how it is one of the worst country to live in for women.
she then goes to gaza where chidlren dont have food or running water.
she then goes to israel.
she comes back to afghanistan and goes to the helmand province.
there is talk about taliban and how they treat women and about how most of the poppy drugs come from afghanistan.
she then goes to washington dc to see the victims of war and then on to ukrain and then to the west bank.
where there is the gaza strip and the fight between the jews and arabs and about how relaxing gardening is.
she then goes back to kabul,afghanistan as a reporter and thats how the story ends.
it is all about war gardens and about the countries that the author goes to.
in the end of the book , i had to read the notes , acknowledgements and index which was a torture reading it.
it is about a women called lalage snow who is from england.
she is a war reporter and also a photographer.
she goes to different countries and does reporting from there and covers the latest news.
it was interesting and well written.
she first goes to kabul,afghanistan where the locals show her the war gardens , she talks about the bad situation of women over there and about the taliban and about how it is one of the worst country to live in for women.
she then goes to gaza where chidlren dont have food or running water.
she then goes to israel.
she comes back to afghanistan and goes to the helmand province.
there is talk about taliban and how they treat women and about how most of the poppy drugs come from afghanistan.
she then goes to washington dc to see the victims of war and then on to ukrain and then to the west bank.
where there is the gaza strip and the fight between the jews and arabs and about how relaxing gardening is.
she then goes back to kabul,afghanistan as a reporter and thats how the story ends.
it is all about war gardens and about the countries that the author goes to.
in the end of the book , i had to read the notes , acknowledgements and index which was a torture reading it.
February 12, 2021
I feel honored how much this author has risked to bring us these stories . I am half Afghan and do not know my father’s country as even though we are in involved in the war with them it is not ever discussed much in mainstream media .
These people came alive for me in words and in photographs .A very unique idea for a book.
As a life long gardener I will plant flowers for these people and hope for them . We are so lucky in the west, to have had 911 here and do not realize many places have 911 happening all the time .
I went to school in Los Angeles and met kids from war torn countries . They were my best friends I ever met as they were so real and in this moment .
The people in this book are very much like this in the moment of their gardens .
It’s amazing how much we have in many countries and do not appreciate it . Lalange really put a lot of feelings I have had about Palestine . I went into this book to read about gardens and came out understanding the sadness of war .
I am not going to say anything that should have been done differently in this book as this is her voice she is writing in . Who am I to tell another’s voice not to sing it’s own song .
These people came alive for me in words and in photographs .A very unique idea for a book.
As a life long gardener I will plant flowers for these people and hope for them . We are so lucky in the west, to have had 911 here and do not realize many places have 911 happening all the time .
I went to school in Los Angeles and met kids from war torn countries . They were my best friends I ever met as they were so real and in this moment .
The people in this book are very much like this in the moment of their gardens .
It’s amazing how much we have in many countries and do not appreciate it . Lalange really put a lot of feelings I have had about Palestine . I went into this book to read about gardens and came out understanding the sadness of war .
I am not going to say anything that should have been done differently in this book as this is her voice she is writing in . Who am I to tell another’s voice not to sing it’s own song .
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 31, 2023
An interesting and heartfelt book full of insight into a subject matter I had never previously given much thought or care.
There are some odd moments where the authors thoughts on things distract from the stories being told more than add to them. And it could do with being more tightly focused and a little shorter. By the final few chapters, It was retreading a lot of ground that had already been covered many times over. But, I suppose that comes with the territory of being a book about such niche subject matter.
Also, for a book written by a fantastic photographer. The photos included are small, black and white, and printed almost as an afterthought. Crammed in the centre pages devoid of any connection to the stories. I’m glad they were included, but the reading experience would be increased massively if more care was put into spreading them about the book appropriately, and printing them with the proper attention they deserve.
There are some odd moments where the authors thoughts on things distract from the stories being told more than add to them. And it could do with being more tightly focused and a little shorter. By the final few chapters, It was retreading a lot of ground that had already been covered many times over. But, I suppose that comes with the territory of being a book about such niche subject matter.
Also, for a book written by a fantastic photographer. The photos included are small, black and white, and printed almost as an afterthought. Crammed in the centre pages devoid of any connection to the stories. I’m glad they were included, but the reading experience would be increased massively if more care was put into spreading them about the book appropriately, and printing them with the proper attention they deserve.
March 12, 2023
Powerful.
Evocative.
Poignant.
Humbling.
Visit Afghanistan, Israel, Gaza, The West Bank and Eastern Ukraine. Regions of continuous war and conflict, of violence and instability. Meet the ordinary people just trying to live their lives, the people who garden as a means of connection with the land, a means of sustenance and a means of escape.
I defy anyone not to be moved to tears and to anger by this book. It is a hard read - I had to take breaks, which I am fortunate to do so when the subjects of the book have to live this life every day.
I really wish the photographs had been in colour but I did find them on the author’s website.
However, this does not detract from the very human stories within.
I’m left feeling humbled and wondering about the fate of all the gardeners I met in this book.
Evocative.
Poignant.
Humbling.
Visit Afghanistan, Israel, Gaza, The West Bank and Eastern Ukraine. Regions of continuous war and conflict, of violence and instability. Meet the ordinary people just trying to live their lives, the people who garden as a means of connection with the land, a means of sustenance and a means of escape.
I defy anyone not to be moved to tears and to anger by this book. It is a hard read - I had to take breaks, which I am fortunate to do so when the subjects of the book have to live this life every day.
I really wish the photographs had been in colour but I did find them on the author’s website.
However, this does not detract from the very human stories within.
I’m left feeling humbled and wondering about the fate of all the gardeners I met in this book.
April 19, 2023
I took my time with this book, reading a country / city chapter at a time in between other books.
I couldn’t have read it in one sitting, I needed the time to think about (& if I’m honest do a bit of research / memory refreshing too!) the history and current situation in each place to really appreciate the juxtaposition between war and gardens over time.
Would recommend to buffs of social history, gardening & human nature, alike.
I couldn’t have read it in one sitting, I needed the time to think about (& if I’m honest do a bit of research / memory refreshing too!) the history and current situation in each place to really appreciate the juxtaposition between war and gardens over time.
Would recommend to buffs of social history, gardening & human nature, alike.
May 8, 2023
I feel mean with this score, because it's a book that should be read. It wasn't one I would have chosen as I am not much of a gardener (I got it from ShelterBox bookclub) but I'm glad I read it. The juxtaposition of nature and peaceful spaces with the horrors of war and intolerance is staggering. I was also struck by the similarities of experiences across such different countries. We definitely need more gardens and more gardeners.
October 20, 2022
This book presents a different perspective of life in the warzone by focussing on gardens and their caretakers. Through the gardeners' stories, we learn about life from both sides of the conflict in Gaza, Aghanistan, Ukraine. Nature offers a source of comfort and constancy to the people who are robbed of that in their daily life and you can feel how proud they are of their gardens.
March 7, 2023
When I first began reading the book I struggled to get into it, I almost put it down but I'm so glad that I didn't because I really enjoyed it. The book is harrowing yet beautiful and I felt as though I was alongside Lalage and the people she was interviewing. I don't know much about flowers or gardening but I feel richer and more knowledgeable for hearing the stories of these courageous people.
December 6, 2018
Loved this book from start to finish. Beautifully descriptive, genuine feelings and an insight to lives we’ll never know.
July 12, 2022
Marvelous! A book that emphasizes that our soul demands calm and that can be found in the garden. If gardeners were in charge instead of ideologues there wouldn't be war.
February 9, 2023
This is a beautiful read. Amidst all the ravages of war to discover the serenity and calm gardening and those who make them find made for an inspirational read. I loved it.
February 14, 2023
DNF in February 2023 for ShelterBox Book Club.
The first ShelterBox book I haven't been able to finish, unfortunately. I just did not get on with the writing style at all.
The first ShelterBox book I haven't been able to finish, unfortunately. I just did not get on with the writing style at all.
February 28, 2023
It was an interesting idea for a book, but one to risk your life to write? I was disappointed that the pictures were not in colour as after Lalage's descriptions of the gardens were magnificent it was such a shame not to be able to see them in their full glory 😞 I did find myself getting a bit lost in all the war talk and a map (for me anyway would have been a great addition, only got an E in gcse geography 😆) It was
great to hear that everyone she interviewed said that the bit of garden they had was their salvation, I can't begin to imagine what it must be like for these people to just have their lives turned upside down through no fault of their own, I agree with Esti "if women were in charge there wouldn't be any war" i wondered with Lalage's journalistic skills could she have helped Mr and Mrs Roami after they had lost the telephone number for where they sent their children away for safety in Europe?
If anyone knows of any websites to go to to see Lalage's photography please let me know 🙏
great to hear that everyone she interviewed said that the bit of garden they had was their salvation, I can't begin to imagine what it must be like for these people to just have their lives turned upside down through no fault of their own, I agree with Esti "if women were in charge there wouldn't be any war" i wondered with Lalage's journalistic skills could she have helped Mr and Mrs Roami after they had lost the telephone number for where they sent their children away for safety in Europe?
If anyone knows of any websites to go to to see Lalage's photography please let me know 🙏
March 30, 2023
A book on defiance and resilience. V inspiring
May 6, 2023
Read with Shelterbox UK Book club
June 27, 2023
It took me a while to get through this book. While there were elements I enjoyed, I felt the book was scattered and somehow a bit random.
January 21, 2024
I liked the idea, but it was a bit slow & disjointed. The common theme didn’t really carry the story for me.
January 21, 2024
Was a tough read, but had to finish it
The end is better than the beginning.
The end is better than the beginning.
June 28, 2024
Great unique perspective and it really painted a picture of the places she visited, especially Afghanistan. Bit disappointed that the photos weren't printed in colour- would have been lovely to see!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews