Hidcote: The Garden and Lawrence Johnston

by Graham S. Pearson

Often described as "the most beautiful garden in England," Hidcote is a jewel in England's horticultural history. The garden's creator, Lawrence Johnston, was inspired by many of the Arts and Crafts design ideas at the turn of the 20th century. From 1907 this intriguing American-born plant hunter transformed 10 acres of Gloucestershire hillside into one of the world's most influential gardens, a complex mixture of hedged "rooms" and vistas, lavish planting, and simpler, informal areas. Today, it is one of the most popular gardens in the country, with more than 130,000 visitors every year. The book covers the history of this stunning garden, including its fascinating creator who fused planting ideas from various parts of the world while making Hidcote. In addition, Anna Pavord's text illuminates the garden as it is today.

Genres: Gardening

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Carolyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a perfectly adequate history and tour of the garden at Hidcote. The words were not particularly interesting, so I did skim quite a bit, and the photography was good but not amazing.