Early Gardens of Scotland: A Writer's Odyssey (Paperback)

Early Scottish Gardeners and Their Plants, 1650-1750 by Forbes W. Robertson

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Early Scottish Gardens fascinatingly describes [Sheila Mackay's] travels the length and breadth of Scotland in search of the origins and development of many notable gardens between 1500 and 1750 ! The well-illustrated Early Scottish Gardens is a cornucopia of information about early gardens in Scotland and their owners ! in the plethora of gardening books published each year Early Scottish Gardens is one which makes not only a very enjoyable read to learn just how many fine gardens there were from the seventeenth century but also promts visits to those gardens still existing ! very full value at a very reasonable price. An absorbing study of a long-forgotten golden age of gardening. Exhaustive research over four years went into the preparation of this stimulating work, packed with facts and bristling with ideas that challenge long-held assumptions. The lyrical, lucid text takes the reader on a wonderfully vivid journey ! Early Scottish Gardens is not a conventional history, but something richer and more imaginative, a hybrid genre combining scholarship with elements of a travelogue and a personal journey. Early Scottish Gardens fascinatingly describes [Sheila Mackay's] travels the length and breadth of Scotland in search of the origins and development of many notable gardens between 1500 and 1750 ! The well-illustrated Early Scottish Gardens is a cornucopia of information about early gardens in Scotland and their owners ! in the plethora of gardening books published each year Early Scottish Gardens is one which makes not only a very enjoyable read to learn just how many fine gardens there were from the seventeenth century but also promts visits to those gardens still existing ! very full value at a very reasonable price. An absorbing study of a long-forgotten golden age of gardening. Exhaustive research over four years went into the preparation of this stimulating work, packed with facts and bristling with ideas that challenge long-held assumptions. The lyrical, lucid text takes the reader on a wonderfully vivid journey ! Early Scottish Gardens is not a conventional history, but something richer and more imaginative, a hybrid genre combining scholarship with elements of a travelogue and a personal journey.

Product Description
What did early Scottish gardens look like? How did these gardens relate to the house and how did passing time affect their development? Where did the plant stock come from: herbs, shrubs, annuals and perennials, from the thistle to the rose? Did the gardens match the richly embellished interiors of Scots aristocrats and merchants, particularly after the Reformation? Evocative and tantalising remains of 'missing gardens' such as earthworks, stone walls, doocots, date stones, terracing, traceries of paths, sundials, a few ancient yews, and gardens themselves - Culross, Edzell, Pitmedden, Kinross -fire the imagination as Sheila Mackay guides the reader on a personal tour of the 16th, 17th and 18th-century gardens of Scotland. Contrary to popular belief within British garden history, designed landscapes have played a vital role in the lives of aspiring Scots from the 16th century, with paintings from the time depicting elaborate gardens to match houses and interiors that reflected status, wealth and a sense of self-esteem.In her exploration of these gardens - from Arthur's Seat in 1500 to The Hermitage in 1750 - Sheila Mackay reveals the dramatic developments that occurred during this period. This is a history peopled with the characters of the time, and includes extracts from songs, poems, and paintings of gardens throughout the period. Imaginative reconstructions of gardens for the people of the time - a 16th-century garden for the calligrapher Esther Inglis and a 17th-century landscape for the portrait painter George Jamesone - and the creative re-design of the ground of the Pleasaunce at Edzell Castle in light of contemporary European developments enhance the sense of the inspired designs of the time. An evocative picture is painted of these gardens and it is hoped that this will inspire the reader to make their own distinctive maps and undertake their own explorations of the gardens of Scotland.Key Features: *Illustrated with over 90 photographs, paintings, sketches, plans and line-drawings *Includes descriptions of imagined gardens for people of the time *Explores the gardens at Holyrood, Taymouth Castle, Neidpath Castle, Edzell Castle, Stirling Castle, Dunbar's Close, Culross Palace, Pitmedden, Craigievar, Crathes, Kinross House, Yester House, Blair Adam, Drummond Castle, Penicuik House, Blair Castle and The Hermitage *Includes a map indicating the location of all the gardens explored in the book *Describes a personal journey around the 16th-, 17th- and 18th-century gardens of Scotland

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews   3 of 4 people found the following review helpful: 3.0 out of 5 stars Mixture of sparse historical data and supposition, 28 Nov 2001 By A Customer Personally, i found this book a disappointing read. I had expected it to be well researched when it was in fact very gappy and full of inaccurate information. Couple this with unimaginative infill and you have the essence of this book. It's only redeiming factor is the style in which it was written which makes it a pleasant if inaccurate read. Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this) Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review › See all customer reviews...		Ad feedback   Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews

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