Wildings: The Secret Garden of Eileen Soper

by Duff Hart-Davis

When Eileen Soper died in March 1990, the age of 84, executors found an astonishing treasure-trove at her home in Hertfordshire. Not only did the studio contain a great many paintings by her father George Soper, the celebrated horse artist, who had died in 1942. There were also more than 200 watercolours by Eileen herself, as well as a very large number of her drawings, sketchbooks and letters. Much of her work was done in the half-wild garden that surrounds Wildings, her home near Welwyn. Planted by her father, and designed as a sanctuary for birds and other creatures, the garden became the centre of Eileen's life, when her father died, she and her sisterEva took it on, extended it, livd in it, worked in it, loved it and fought to protect it. In this magical haven birds would settle on Eileen's head, and deer would come out to feed from her hand. This fabulous book details many of Eileen Soper' nature artwork a must have for nature lovers as well as art lovers.

Genres: Nonfiction

144 pages, Hardcover

First published September 12, 1991

About the author

Peter Duff Hart-Davis, generally known as Duff Hart-Davis was a British biographer, naturalist and journalist, who wrote for The Independent. He was married to Phyllida Barstow and had one son and one daughter, the journalist Alice Hart-Davis. He lived at Owlpen, in Gloucestershire.

Reviews

[Norman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've loved Eileen Soper's work for many years and not thought to read a biography but this book attracted me when I realised how much of her (and a bit of her Father's) work was in it. The colour reproduction alone makes it a worthwhile buy.
The sub-title implies this focuses on Soper's garden, and it certainly does but this is bigger than that. We have a biography of Eileen and her sister Eva living in Wildings, their house inherited from their parents, and its garden is enormous enough to attract deer in addition to all the usual rural visitors one expects. The pair live together for almost their whole lives in this house and we learn of their fear of disease and eccentric house guests. Eileen loved feeding, observing and becoming involved in birds and animals' lives. The result for us was wonderful artwork but also some natural world studies.
I felt immensely sad at the end, that these thrifty ladies did not spend their wealth and Eileen particularly did not commercialise her, or her father's artwork more -in the form of prints. But 'each to their own' I applaud the author for showing the eccentricity of the artist and her sister and not being tempted to 'clean up' the biography in the way others might.

[Debby · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a delightful book ,purchased online from a second hand book shop ,almost lost in the local post office ,reaching me by the deligent clerk's extra care at her job . The book is a treasure for it's watercolor prints and the certain naivete on the subjects of drawings .The life story of Soper sisters are delt with a finesse ,considering their phobias ,eccentricities and hoarding . This book took me back to my childhood ,in the late fifties where children's books has such illustrations .Where nature drawings had an added cuteness to it .I read the book in a day and a half ,and will enjoy the drawings for much longer .A treasure of a lost world ,to a generation of the computer and cell phone .

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eileen Soper was such a multifaceted and interesting woman and I enjoyed reading about her life and art career in this book. I have a few of her nature books but didn’t really know much about Eileen herself. I can now go into reading her works with a better mindset of who she was. This was an easy and accessible book to read with many illustrations from Eileen. Unfortunately, she hated to be photographed so there are only a few pictures of her in existence. I would love to have known what she looked like in her older years.

[Sammi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful, beautiful book, capturing a snapshot of an unchanging, rural corner of England, whilst also making a wonderful record of the life and artistic talent of Eileen Soper, her father George, and to a lesser extent, her sister Eva. 5 / 5

Read the full review, and others, on Sammi Loves Books: https://sammicox.wordpress.com/

[Alex Boon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful story and illustrations.