ThomasThomas Reads: A History of Gardening in 50 Objects
Author George Drower (Historian and writer) looks into the history of gardening through 50 objects that have influenced our gardens and horticultural techniques of today.
Horticulturalists and gardens today benefit from thousands of years of developments and innovations. We now take for granted simple pleasures such as jute twine, the friendly game of croquet, and a straight cucumber!
Split into 11 chapters (listed below in order), Drower takes fifty 'objects' across an array of areas and explores their history. Each write-up spans a few brief pages and none are overly dense to read through. Aside from the main text, the book is decorated with an abundance of pretty botanical prints taken from various archives.
His areas cover...
Tools of the trade
Plant Finders
Water Features
Growing Exotics
Lawns
Supports, Climbers and Hedges
Fertilisers and Pest Controls
Garden Writings
Gardening Movements
Nurseries
Containers
For me, this book is a belter. It feeds my passion for history & gardening in one go and you can attack it in brief 15 minute sessions. Plus, it is very pretty! Unlike other books I have read on the history of gardening, this is kept very brief.
To give you a good example, I once read a book of which over 100 pages would have been on the life and work of John Bartram. In 'A History of Gardening in 50 Objects' Drower fits the same story into 3 pages.
Quite frankly, anyone interested in gardening should enjoy this book!
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