A Little History of British Gardening

Contemporary Review, Nov, 2004

A Little History of British Gardening. Jenny Uglow. Chatto & Windus. [pounds sterling]15.99. x 342 pages. ISBN 0-701-16928-1. At 342 pages this 'little' history isn't quite as little as the title suggests. It traces the history of British gardening over the centuries. The author tackles her subject chronologically and begins with the Romans who introduced the idea of pleasure gardens to Britain.

She discusses Anglo-Saxon gardening, the important work of mediaeval monasteries and abbeys, the extraordinary achievements of the Victorians and modern developments including the valuable work of the National Trust. Along the way she shows how essential foreign imports have been to the development of the British garden. As she writes in her conclusion, 'we may think we are tending our garden, but of course, in many different ways, it is the garden and the plants that are nurturing us'.