Books Reviews
In the Garden with Jane Austen – Book Review
By Angela Youngman Jul 10, 2009, 14:52 GMT
Jane Austen\'s natural world--real and fictional--comes to life in this colorful, illustrated stroll through the gardens, parks and great estates of Regency England. With lush photos, social history, excerpts from Austen\'s novels, biographical information, drawings and diagrams, this book brings the great outdoors to readers eager to understand more details of Austen\'s environment. Also featured are instructions on how to create your own English garden and on where to see ...more
Gardens played a big part in Jane Austen's life. Not surprisingly, they play a major role in all six of her novels including Mr Collin's parsonage garden in Pride & Prejudice.
Kim looks at the types of gardens which Jane Austen would have known and visited: the gardens of the great estates, cottage gardens, town gardens, public gardens and parks. Some of the gardens she owned or knew such as Chawton in Hampshire still exist as the gardens used in screen adaptations of her work.
It is a book which gives lots of fascinating insights into the life of Georgian gardens and the landowners who owned them. Nurseries would supply town gardens with plants by the season.
Big estates even employed people to live in on site hermitages with orders to let their hair and fingernails grow and interact with passing visitors in the role of a religious ascetic.
This is essential reading for gardeners, social historians as well as Jane Austen enthusiasts.
Extremely interesting, informative and entertaining with well chosen quotes and illustrations bringing the text to life. For those wishing to try recreating elements of Jane Austen style gardens, there are useful planting diagrams and planting suggestions. Brilliant.
COMMENT
blog comments powered by DisqusLatest Headlines in Books
- 1. 'Sex, drugs and relationships' Dr. Reef to Book Expo signing in NYC
- 2. Book Review: Song of the Serpent
- 3. Book Review: Bloodman
- 4. Book Review: The Last Myth
- 5. Book Review: Skeleton Picnic
Older Talkback
