A History of Kitchen Gardening

“We have a sense of real plants growing in real gardens and even the garden history seems to come alive within this context. . . . a smashing book.”

“Campbell presents the history of a grand English kitchen garden, albeit one conjured up from a pastiche of actual estates. Acknowledging the current popularity of a gardening style that combines ornamentals with edible plants, Campbell’s richly descriptive book expounds on the decorative landscape capable of returning a bounty of fresh produce. In this way, the former idea of a kitchen garden connects with very modern concerns for eating in a healthy way, making the notion more apropos than ever. With exhaustive depth, Campbell uncovers classically inspired garden designs, picturesque glasshouses filled with tropical rarities, esoteric uses for plants, and, of course, the lives of gardeners responsible for maintaining their masters’ estates. More than ample material to fascinate the garden lover who appreciates history with a British spin.”

"A truly interesting book....if you picked it up and started flipping through the pages you would find it hard to put down. It has the perfect mix of fascinating insights into the past plus nuggets of information."