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Discovering Welsh Gardens
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'I didn't think Wales had any gardens....'
...and that's what people said to me when I said I was writing a book about Welsh gardens. They were talking twaddle of course. There are good, exciting gardens to be found throughout Wales. They may not be as thick on the ground as they are in the Home Counties, but they are there and taking advantage of the beautiful Welsh landscape to do some very special things. Far from not existiing, they have been a well-kept secret. It's time they were known about.
It's a two man book in the sense that I have worked with the garden photographer Charles Hawes, another Monmouthshire-dweller, like me. What a treat it is to work directly with a photographer, making sure that the pictures always illustrate exactly what you want to say, as well as looking really beautiful. I'd like to think we've pulled it off and have tempted people to get to Wales and see some great and sometimes unknown gardens.
I've made the gardens work for their living too, no half-hearted ones here. If they were historic but dreary, or pretty but boring, out they went. Only the liveliest made it into the book.
Those that made it have not had it easy either. I have written about what it's like to be in those gardens, really to get the feel of the place in words and pictures, but I have also pointed out what doesn't work - no garden is perfect, after all - shown them warts and all. But if you know a garden is brilliant, then you can afford to be honest about it. Does that sound cruel? Not at all. Gardeners love to chew the fat about their gardens and get a fresh pair of eyes. With luck the book will have you arguing too, and getting out to see gardens yourself and making up your own mind.
Comments
Message from StephenAnderton
Posted on 05th March 2009
Thank you all for your comments. It's good to know what people think, something you rarely find out as a writer. We too were very pleased with the book - many more pages than we had originally hoped, and beautiful printing from the publisher.
Message from Nonny
Posted on 05th March 2009
My darling husband, who is not know for great or necessarily appropriate gifts, got it absolutely right earlier this week when he gave me this book for my birthday. It is a lovely gift and a great book, one I shall be happy to dip into for years to come. The photographs are wonderful and really capture the Welsh landscapes and surroundings so well, and it is a wonderful companion to the earlier book Discovering Welsh Houses.
Congratulation to Stephen and Charles for a lovely book, oh and to my husband for spotting it.
Thank you
Message from Mudwoman
Posted on 26th February 2009
A really interesting article about some wonderful sounding gardens. The book sounds a delight as well as thought provoking. I particulary like the modern garden. Very interesting shapes, I love the way the seat and hedges echo each other with the reflections in the black pool. The photographs here whet the appetite for more. Lovely
Message from Brother
Posted on 26th February 2009
Fabulous!
Message from Grafter
Posted on 26th February 2009
Lovely book. The people of Wales are very lucky to have such treasures.
Message from Poppy
Posted on 26th February 2009
Lovely commentary on your book, Stephen. Sounds very thought provoking, which can only be good. I will look out for it in my bookshop. Oh, and the photography is fantastic.
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