The Gardens and Parks at Hampton Court Palace [Hardcover]

... useful for serious enthusiasts of garden history, and also provides a pleasant look at these famous gardens for the more casual garden reader. Both of these audiences cannot fail to be drawn to the comprehensive mix of illustrations, ranging from those of the 16th century to colourful photographs of Vivian Russell. Rather like Hampton Court Palace itself, there is something for everybody and no-one will be disappointed (Garden )

Hampton Court Palace has the finest Baroque park and garden layout in Britain. Set within 2,000 acres of parkland and bounded on its south and east sides by the River Thames, the historic landscape possesses a rich overlay of garden improvements from the early 16th to the 21st centuries. This book explores the history of this landscape. Among the many themes it addresses are the role and impact of patrons, designers and estate workers; planting and horticultural techniques; statuary, fountains and other garden ornaments; and maintenance and conservation. The photographs by Vivian Russell that accompany the text constitute the most comprehensive topographical survey of the palace's gardens since the late 18th century.

Todd Longstaffe-Gowan is Gardens Adviser to Hampton Court Palace and Vice Chairman of the London Historic Parks and Gardens Trust. He lectures on landscape history and is a regular contributor to publications including Country Life, the Times, the Sunday Telegraph and World of Interiors.

Vivian Russell is a writer and photographer. An American by birth, she has lived in England and France for most of her life. Her book Monet's Garden won two Garden Writers' Guild Awards. She was a regular contributor to Gardens Illustrated for many years and now writes and photographs for the Daily Telegraph gardening supplement.