How did exotic, oriental plants find their way into the borders of English gardens? Penelope Hobhouse - plantswoman, garden designer and authority on historic gardens - is uniquely qualified to shed new light on the absorbing history of gardens from ancient Egypt to the twentieth century. This is the definitive book on the history of gardens and gardening which describes the evolution of the Western model and explains the various historical factors which have created the modern idea of gardening as both art form and popular pastime. In her magnificent survey of the rich heritage of Western gardening, Penelope Hobhouse's engrossing text is perfectly complemented by an unsurpassable collection of beautiful illustrations that range from the earliest Egyptian tomb painting to some of today's best garden photography. Great care has been taken in the design of the book, making it both structured and accessible. 'Plants in Garden History' is a classic work that will be referred to for many years to come.

Plants in Garden History describes the evolution of the Western gardening model and explains the various historical factors that have created the modern idea of gardening as both art form and popular pastime.

“A beautifully illustrated reference book covers the origins, ecology and history of popular garden plants.” —Shelf Awareness The oldest rose fossil was found in Colorado and dates to 35 million years ago. Marigolds, infamous for their ability to self-seed, are named for an Etruscan god who sprang from a ploughed field. And daffodils—an icon of spring—were introduced to Britain by the Romans more than 2,000 years ago. Every garden plant has an origination story, and Garden Flora, by noted garden designer Noel Kingsbury, shares them in a beautifully compelling way. This lushly illustrated survey of 133 of the most commonly grown plants explains where each plant came from and the journey it took into home gardens. Kingsbury tells intriguing tales of the most important plant hunters, breeders, and gardeners throughout history, and explores the unexpected ways plants have been used. Richly illustrated with an eclectic mix of new and historical photos, botanical art, and vintage seed packets and catalogs, Garden Flora is a must-have reference for every gardener and plant lover.

There are plenty of books on how to look after houseplants but no one has shown us how, when and why these plants came to be found in our homes. In this fascinating book we learn how potted plants are as subject to fashion as pieces of furniture. For the Victorians it was the aspidistra in the front parlor; for us it is the orchid in the designer loft. We find that Wedgwood created a market for special bulb pots and that some of Conran's early designs were for houseplant containers. Then there is the story of mignonette - a modest plant but once prized in every home for its intoxicating scent. Now that scent is lost to us for ever. Catherine Horwood's novel combination of social history, plant history and the history of interior design is intriguing. Her illustrations come from a variety of unusual sources since potted plants may be found in many unexpected corners.

As our earliest ancestors migrated out of Africa, they encountered entirely new floras. By sampling these, they found plants that appeared to (and sometimes did) heal wounds, cure maladies, and ease troubled minds. This process of discovery continues today, as multinational pharmaceutical companies bioprospect in the globe's remaining wild places for the next tamoxifen or digitalis. The gardener and botanist David Stuart tells the fascinating story of botanical medicine, revealing more than soothing balms and heroic cures. Most of the truly powerful and effective medicinal plants are double-edged, with a dark side to balance the light. They can heal or kill, calm or enslave, lift depression or summon our gods and monsters. Often the difference between these polar effects is a simple change in dosage. Stuart chronicles the tale of how the herbal materia medica of healing and killing plants has sparked wars, helped establish intercontinental trade routes, and seeded fortunes. As plant species traveled the globe, their medicinal uses evolved over miles and through centuries. Plants once believed to be cure-alls are now considered too dangerous for use. Others, once so valuable that they sowed the wealth of empires, are merely spices on the kitchen shelf. David Stuart recounts engrossing human stories too, not only of the scientists, explorers, and doctors who gathered, named, and prescribed these plants but also the shamans, magicians, and quacks who claimed to possess the ultimate herbal aphrodisiac or elixir.

The fascinating stories of the plants that changed civilizations.

"In addition, Cothran provides profiles of prominent gardeners, horticulturists, nurserymen, and writers who, in the decades preceding the American Civil War, were instrumental in shaping the horticultural and gardening legacy of the South."--BOOK JACKET.