Great Gardens of London: 30 Masterpieces from Private Plots to Palaces

Description

London's gardeners are twice blessed: not only do they live in one of the world' s most vibrant capitals, it is also one of the most verdant. Gardens of every imaginable style, shape and size abound on rooftops, within palaces, surrounding churches, behind walls - on every piece of dry land - even if it is floating on or lapped by the river Thames. In Great Gardens of London, Victoria Summerley, Hugo Rittson Thomas and Marianne Majerus collaborate to unearth the most fascinating stories of plants and people inside London' s most exciting gardens. Some of the gardens are strictly private, while others are regularly open to visitors, but all can now be savoured and enjoyed along with those who know them best. Great Gardens of London is a captivating photographic portrait of the greatest gardens of the capital which are primarily closed to the public or rarely open their gates. It will feature gardens designed by some of the leading contemporary garden designers from across the world. Accompanying the photographs will be essays on the design and planting that explain the designers' inspiration and passion.

VICTORIA SUMMERLEYis a national newspaper journalist who specialises in writing about gardens and gardening. For the past 13 years she has been executive editor ofThe Independent. In 2010, she was the winner of the prestigious Garden Media Guild Journalist of the Year award, and she also writes an award-winning blog. Her garden in London was open under the National Gardens Scheme and was featured on BBC Gardeners' World. After 50 years of living and gardening in London, Victoria now lives in the Cotswolds, but regularly returns to the capital. HUGO RITTSON THOMASis one of the UK's leading portrait photographers. He started his career in the art world, studying at Central St.Martin's and Goldsmiths University of London, and took part in the landmark exhibition Temple of Diana alongside Tracey Emin at The Blue Gallery in 1999. Hugo livesand has a studio in London. MARIANNE MAJERUSis a prestigious and prolific international photographer of gardens and winner of the Garden Media Guild Features Photographer of the Year Award 2013 as well as the GMG Photographer of the Year 2010. A contributor and sole photographer of many gardening books, her new title Highgrove: A Garden Celebrated was a best-seller in 2014.

Many garden lovers make pilgrimages to England to see some of the world's most famous gardens. But those of London are less well known, and some are virtually unknowable, except in the pages of Great Gardens of London. "...this substantial book is laden with photographs, but where it excels is in the author's skill at weaving together history, horticulture and a disparate array of interesting facts. ...the reader is led on a journey which has gardens at its heart, but actually offers more." Many garden lovers make pilgrimages to England to see some of the world's most famous gardens. But those of London are less well known, and some are virtually unknowable, except in the pages of Great Gardens of London. "...this substantial book is laden with photographs, but where it excels is in the author's skill at weaving together history, horticulture and a disparate array of interesting facts. ...the reader is led on a journey which has gardens at its heart, but actually offers more."