Book Recommendation

edhelka · November 2019

I am thinking about a book for my grandmother, as a Christmas gift. She loves gardening but she is in a different country with limited English. She understands English but wouldn't enjoy reading a book in English.

I am thinking about something about British/English gardens, that would be mostly pictures, like a photobook. The best pictures from the best British gardens, something like that.

Do you have any ideas?

AnniD · November 2019

This is one of my favourites
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Secret-Gardens-Cotswolds-Victoria-Summerley/dp/0711235279/ref=sxbs_sxwds-stvp?keywords=Photographs+of+British+Gardens&pd_rd_i=0711235279&pd_rd_r=dcfc69e9-d1d6-4f49-b4af-397926bc2ae2&pd_rd_w=MVgKD&pd_rd_wg=7t6MN&pf_rd_p=7dc56c0d-8a5f-4d97-9143-7233b106859a&pf_rd_r=X0MXX1TJ36B9K72BAVE1&qid=1574699170&s=books

I think most books about British and English gardens have fair amount of text, if you can get into a bookshop and look at them in real life as it were, you'd get a better idea of the layout in each book.
If not, hopefully others on here can help

edhelka · November 2019

Thank you. I probably won't be able to get into a well-stocked bookshop, I live in a rural area. And I also won't have time to buy something locally after flying to my home country. So it needs to be online. Ideas for other gardening gifts are also appreciated.

It's tricky because it needs to be transportable by plane (cabin luggage only - nothing dangerous, no liquids, nothing too big) and I usually try to buy something a bit exotic, something that can't be bought in my home country. And I try to promote British culture, educate a bit and make it interesting, like bringing gifts from a vacation, but it's getting hard to find original ideas after several years here

Lizzie27 · November 2019

@ edhelka , I've got a good book called 'Panoramas of English Gardens' by David Wheeler and Nick Meers, CN 8527 pub 1991 by Weidenfield & Nicholson if you can still get hold of a copy. Very little text but superb pictures in landscape format of classic well known English gardens.

edhelka · November 2019

Thanks Lizzie, that sounds perfect. I am only finding used on first look but I will look into it more later. A good used condition would probably work too.

AnniD · November 2019

This may be of help
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/0316932515/ref=tmm_hrd_used_olp_0?ie=UTF8&condition=used&qid=1574703227&sr=8-11

Lyn · November 2019

Gardens of the National trust is nice.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Gardens-National-Trust-Home-Garden/dp/1907892095

Topbird · November 2019

The National Trust do quite a nice calendar featuring gardens in their ownership
https://shop.nationaltrust.org.uk/national-trust-gardens-calendar-2020.html

Or the book 'Secret Gardens of the NT' seems to have a lot of photos:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Secret-Gardens-National-Claire-Masset/dp/1909881902/ref=asc_df_1909881902/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=310940869184&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=6376825060629800396&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9044899&hvtargid=pla-435619945118&psc=1&th=1&psc=1

Marlorena · November 2019

….the foremost British garden photographer, and likely one of the best in the world, is Clive Nichols.... it's a pity his English Gardens book is out of stock currently... it's mostly photos, with minimal text...
...however, he does have a 2020 Calendar... English Country Gardens... not expensive, and might be worth considering, even as an extra... something that's useful too... the text is in various languages.. but not Czech unfortunately..

edhelka · November 2019

A calendar is a very good idea too, I haven't thought about that, but yes, it would work well as a small gift. I could do a calendar + some candle + something sweet and a pack of her favourite tomato seeds which she can't buy locally and it would be perfectly enough... I think I'll do that.

Thanks to everyone for all the tips!

Marlorena · November 2019

@edhelka …. does your mother have a garden?.... if so could you give her a rose or would that be too cumbersome for travel? arrange mail order perhaps?... I was thinking of the climbing rose 'Awakening', currently on discount with Beales, as it was ''found'' in the Czech Republic...

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