Kiftsgate Court, perched on the northern edge of the Cotswolds Hills in Gloucestershire, is a garden composed of many different scenes. Some elements - the bluebell wood, the clipped hedging and the rose border, with its famously huge Kiftsgate rose - are traditionally English, but there are also areas of Italianate planting and terracing, and others where a mixture of perennials, roses and rare and exotic shrubs thrive side by side. Equally remarkable is the fine balance between continuity and gentle evolution that the visitor finds at Kiftsgate. This is largely because the garden has belonged to the same family since its creation 100 years ago. Three women have tended Kiftsgate, each one its driving force for a third of a century, and each building on the legacy of the previous generation. In 1919 Heather Muir and her husband, Jack, bought the house, which stands on a relatively narrow plateau from which a bank plunges 100 feet. Heather gave Kiftsgate its structure, laying out the semi-formal gardens by the house, planting the tapestry hedge and rose garden, and terracing the banks. In 1954 Heather was succeeded by her daughter, Diany Binny, who extended and developed her mother's planting, made more borders and paths, and refashioned the White Sunk Garden. Since the late 1980s Diany's daughter, Anne Chambers, has been at the helm, further modernizing the garden and its planting, creating new areas of interest, and opening more often to the public. As Robin Lane Fox, who has written the foreword, comments: 'There is nowhere else in Britain that has such a family tradition of planting and dedication ... It is intimate but many-sided, evolving but with roots in a remarkable past.' This beautiful new book - the first dedicated to Kiftsgate - is structured in two main parts. For the first, 'The History', Vanessa Berridge has had exclusive access to the Kiftsgate archive, which contains not only family photographs but also letters from their gardening friends, helping us to understand why and how Heather, Diany and Anne have gardened. Among the circle of friends and acquaintances who feature are Lawrence Johnston of Hidcote Manor (Kiftsgate's neighbour); Vita Sackville-West, the creator of Sissinghurst Castle Garden; and the horticulturalist Graham Stuart Thomas, gardens adviser to the National Trust. The second part of the book takes the reader on an extended tour of the garden, illustrated by the glorious photography of Sabina Rüber. The tour concludes with notes on Kiftsgate's signature plants and Anne Chambers's personal reflections on this, one of the great gardens of England.

In Thoughtful Gardening, award-winning historian and Financial Times gardening columnist Robin Lane Fox takes readers on a delightful journey through each season of the gardening year. From fending off vine-weevils to visiting Yves Saint Laurent's private gardens in Marrakech, Fox imbues each of his musings with grace, sophistication, and charm. Essential reading for anyone planting a new garden or taking stock of one after several years, Thoughtful Gardening offers expert advice and a touching reminder of the power of art and literature to deepen what we see and experience in nature. Combining a vast understanding of horticulture with witty and stylish storytelling, these vignettes form -- season by season -- a rich reflection on the lessons, challenges, and joys of life with a green thumb.

Covering an enormous range of subjects, this essential guide to your garden describes how to cultivate and care for your favourite plants; how to grow fruit trees, lay a lawn or design a 'potager'. The Constant Gardener reveals the fascinating history of the rose, discusses pruning techniques, tells you how to create nutrient-rich compost, pave a path or lay a hedge. It is packed with handy hints, recipes and stories.

The Indispensable Guide to the Successful Garden. Now comprehensively revised and updated: over 40% of plants are NEW entries; all photographs are NEW; includes more detailed and NEW information -- USDA hardiness zones, additional plants of interest, etc; and two completely NEW chapters. You will find more than 1,470 plants organized by: GROWING CONDITIONS Plants that will grow in: Shallow soils over chalk Acid soils Heavy clay soils Polluted atmosphere Windswept, seaside sites Dry soils in hot, sunny sites Damp and wet soils Dry shade Dense shade PURPOSE Plants that can be used for: Ground-cover Climbers Hedges Fillers for crevices in paving Growing in containers (trees, shrubs and climbers) APPEARANCE Plants with: Variegated leaves Gray, blue-gray or silver leaves Red, purple or bronze leaves Yellow or yellow-green leaves Decorative, green foliage Colourful autumn foliage Aromatic leaves Ornamental fruit Ornamental bark and twigs Flowers suitable for cutting and drying Fragrant flowers Winter flowers Green flowers 'Black' plants A long, continuous flowering period Each plant is illustrated with a full color photograph and accompanied by a detailed description of its size, flowering season, needs and care. Right Plant, Right Place compresses a shelf full of reference books and a pile of seed catalogs into a single comprehensive guide to plant selection.

Gardening on a Gradient: Designing and Establishing Sloping Gardens is a complete guide to tackling one of a garden designer's biggest challenges. Whatever the size or the gradient, creating a garden on a sloping site presents lots of conflicting possibilities and potentially expensive choices. Whether home gardener or professional designer, this accessible book will guide you through the challenge, from the initial garden site assessment and survey, right through the design process to the final stages of planting. Step-by-step instructions and explanative diagrams offer readers practical solutions and tried-and-tested methods, as well as inspiration and some novel ideas drawn from sloping gardens around the UK.