By Jane Owen and Diarmuid Gavin
Published to coincide with the bicentenary of the Royal Horticultural Society, Gardens Through Time tells the history of garden design through the story of the RHS; it celebrates two hundred years of gardening and looks at the people, the ideas and the inventions behind the passion.
In their major BBC Two series, being broadcast this autumn, Jane Owen and Diarmuid Gavin follow in the footsteps of the gardeners, designers and botanists of the past to see how their work and ideas have influenced and shaped the designs of today.
The book explores the trendsetting gardens of seven key periods in garden history: from the picturesque and rustic style of Regency gardens, through the ostentatious bedding displays and exotic plant collections of the Victorians, up to the twentieth-century 'room outside'.
The meticulously researched text reveals how society's increasing interest in gardening made it an affordable pursuit for Everyman, and how it encouraged the arrival of new plants and materials for landscaping and accessorizing.
Gardens Through Time puts into context the seven gardens that have been built at RHS Garden Harlow Carr in Harrogate, Yorkshire. These are small-scale interpretations of period gardens which reflect the plants and ideas that were in vogue in each era.
The final chapter explores Diarmuid Gavin's design for a contemporary garden from the television series, which brings garden history and garden design right up to the present day.
Notes to Editors:
Jane Owen is a journalist, historian, lecturer and designer. She has written for a range of magazines and national newspapers. As staff on The Times (Weekend section editor), she instigated first regular gardening column and now writes, every week, about gardens for the newspaper's online site.
Jane has helped to build gardens for the Chelsea Flower Show, founded the Daily Express magazine and published six books, including Eccentric Gardens (Pavilion, 1989). Her Oxfordshire garden featured on BBC2's Curious Gardeners series.
In previous lives, Jane was the chief electrician on board a container ship, a teacher in Australia, a motorbike enthusiast and she travelled to India by bus, train, foot and camel.
Diarmuid Gavin established himself as a successful garden designer in Ireland before starting his television career. One of Britain's most popular and innovative designers, Diarmuid presented the successful design programme Home Front in the Garden as well as Home Front. He has also presented the Chelsea Flower Show, the RHS Flower Show, Gardener of the Year and Gardeners' World Live.
Diarmuid runs his own garden design business and has lectured on both contemporary gardens and the history of garden design at the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Tate Museum, Ireland and throughout the United States. He has written six books on the subject.
Published: 7 October 2004
Price: £25
Accompanies the seven part series on BBC TWO this October.
Printable version
