Gardens & History
Angel, Heather: How to Photograph Flowers
A guide to garden photography, in which Gertrude Jekyll was a pioneer; the author is a past president of the Royal Photographic Society and a professional wildlife photographer.
Antique Collectors Club: Gardens in Edwardian England
English gardens, in the era when Gertrude Jekyll was active as a garden designer, particularly between 1901 and 1910, when the British monarch was King Edward VII, and the next 4 years before the First World War.
Batey, Mavis: The English Garden Tour – A View into the Past
The history of English gardens through the eyes of visitors from medieval times to the present.
Bisgrove, Richard: The National Trust Book of the English Garden
English gardens from medieval times to today; many examples of gardens owned by the National Trust.
Bisgrove, Richard: The Flower Garden
The author has reproduced one of the Jekyll borders at Munstead Wood at the University of Reading, where he is a Senior Lecturer, specialising in the field of landscape history and design.
Brown, Jane: The English Garden through the 20th Century
The first two chapters concern Gertrude Jekyll, Arts & Crafts gardens.
Brown, Jane: Beatrix-The gardening life of Beatrix Jones Farrand (1872-1959)
A US gardener and garden designer, she bought Gertrude Jekyll’s garden plans and photographic albums; they are now in the University of California.
Brown, Jane: The Pursuit of Paradise A Social History of Gardening
In addition to the peaks of gardening history, such as the work of Gertrude Jekyll, this book deals with unusual gardening themes, such as the military garden, the Church of England and gardening for children.
Clark, HF: The English Landscape Garden
History of the English Landscape Garden, from 1700 to 1850, and its influence around the world. Description of 9 famous gardens in England.
Crowe, Sylvia: Garden Design
By a former President of the Institute of Landscape Architects; many references to Gertrude Jekyll.
Elliott, Brent: Country House Gardens; from the Archives of Country Life
Country Life was the journal for which Gertrude Jekyll wrote many articles; it continues to flourish today. She designed four gardens for its owner and editor, Edward Hudson, who also published some of her books.
Girouard, Mark: Life in the English Country House; A Social and Architectural History
A description of the world of Gertrude Jekyll’s clients.
Gradidge, Roderick: The Surrey Style
The Surrey vernacular style, in which many houses were built in the later 19th century; Surrey was Gertrude Jekyll’s home county, where much of her work was done.
Hill, Octavia: Essays and Letters
The author was a philanthropist, who proposed social housing schemes and co-founded the National Trust. Gertrude Jekyll was entrusted with Hydon Heath, as a memorial to her.
Hitchmough, Wendy: Arts and Crafts Gardens
Gertrude Jekyll’s attitude to garden design was influenced by Arts & Crafts principles.
Hobhouse, Penelope: Garden Designs
Designs for gardens, explained in a practical and detailed manner.
Hobhouse, Penelope and Wood, Christopher: Painted Gardens-English Watercolours, 1850-1914
Victorian and Edwardian garden painters, with examples of their work. Gertrude Jekyll referred to her garden creations as ‘garden pictures’.
Jackson-Stopps, Gervaise: The Country House Garden-A grand tour
A guide for visitors to country houses and their gardens in the UK, many of them owned by the National Trust.
Lane-Fox, Robin: Vita Sackville-West-A new Anthology
Selection of articles by Sackville-West, famous for her garden at Sissinghurst, in The Observer. Chapters arranged on a month-by-month basis. List of plant suppliers.
Lacey, Stephen: Gardens of the National Trust
Description of some of the finest gardens in England and Wales, owned and managed by the National Trust.
Gillian Mawrey & Linden Groves: The Gardens of English Heritage
The fascinating stories of gardens, some historically important and some horticulturally interesting, which are part of English Heritage. Winner of the Garden media Inspirational Book of 2010.
National Gardens Scheme: Gardens of England and Wales open for Charity
(‘The Yellow Book’) published each February. How to visit over 3,300 gardens not normally open to the public, including Jekyll gardens.
National Trust: Handbook
The handbook is published each February. How to visit over 200 historic houses and gardens in England and Wales, owned by The National Trust, including Jekyll gardens.
Nicholson, Andrew: William Nicholson, Painter
Edwin Lutyens persuaded Gertrude Jekyll to sit for a portrait by him (it is now in the National Portrait Gallery); he also did a painting of her boots (now in the Tate Gallery).
Plumptre, George: Great Gardens, Great Designers
The story of 15 great garden designers and their work, among them Gertrude Jekyll.
Ottewill, David: The Edwardian Garden
It was during the reign of King Edward VII (1901-10) that Gertrude Jekyll was most prolific as a garden writer. During the Edwardian period, she was building up her successful garden design business, mainly in the South of England; the book decribes gardens of that era.
Pavord, Anna: The Tulip
The history of a flower that swept the world, even to the point of driving men mad; frenzied speculation on tulips (and related options) rocked Dutch money markets in the 17th centory.
Rohde, Eleanour Sinclair: The Story of the Garden
The author was a younger contemporary of Gertrude Jekyll.
Ritson, Charles Quest: The English Garden Abroad
The influence of British garden design over 250 years. Describes the ‘Garden of Eden’, created in Venice by Gertrude Jekyll’s brother-in-law and sister, Frederick and Caroline Eden.
Ritson, Charles Quest: The House and Garden Book of Country Gardens
Description of country gardens in Britain.
Robinson, William: The English Flower Garden
This book (first published in 1883) was very influential in garden history. Artistic design of gardens and glossary of plants, to which Gertrude Jekyll contributed.
Robinson, William: The Wild Garden
This book (first published in 1870) proposes the advantages of planting indigenous flowers in their natural state. Gertrude Jekyll worked closely with William Robinson.
Smit, Tim: The Lost Garden of Heligan
The book describes restoring a tropical garden, which had been built up before the First World War in Cornwall; one of the most ambitious garden restoration projects of recent years.
Sackville-West, Vita: In Your Garden
The author created a famous garden at Sissinghurst; she was well known to Gertrude Jekyll, describing her as ‘that grand gardener, to whom we owe so much’.
Trevelyan, GM: English Social History
This classic ‘history of a people with the politics left out’ spans 600 years of English history and sets the scene for Gertrude Jekyll and her world.
Verey, Rosemary: Secret Gardens Revealed by their Owners
Many of the owners are well known personalities. Most of the gardens are open to the public.
Whalley, Robin, The Marchioness of Salisury and Anne Jennings: Knot Gardens & Parterres
A history of the knot garden and how to make one today; a number of Gertrude Jekyll’s parterres have been maintained or restored.
Whalley, Robin: The Great Edwardian Gardens of Harold Peto
Peto was a contemporary of Gertrude Jekyll and much admired by her as a landscape designer.
Wilson, Edward: The Downright Epicure
Essays on the work of Edward Bunyard, pioneering horticulturalist and England’s foremost student of apples; he was a contemporary of Gertrude Jekyll.