LIVES OF THE GREAT GARDENERS

by Stephen Anderton

(Thames & Hudson £24.95) ISBN 9780-5005-18564

Showcasing more than 500 years of gardens, this large well-illustrated volume tells the story of 40 gardeners from 13 different countries. As one might expect, they include Lancelot “Capability” Brown, Vita Sackville-west, Rosemary Verey, Humphrey Repton, Sir Edward Lutyens, Gertrude Jekyll, Claude Monet, Sir Roy Strong, Christopher Lloyd and Beth Chatto.

The photos and illustrations are excellent and everyone who likes domestic landscapes will enjoy it. (304pp, hardback)

Vita Sackville-west’s garden at Sissinghurst Castle, near Cranbrook in Kent, receives more visitors than any other garden in Britain (see Lives of the Great Gardeners).