A fully updated and revised edition of a gardening classic.



From the cooling fountains of the Alhambra to the imposing palace grounds of Chinese emperors and the clean lines of the formal French parterre, this inspiring history charts the fascinating evolution of gardening over thousands of years, bringing to life the world's most beautiful and magnificent gardens.



The Story of Gardening explains the origins of the most influential gardening styles. Acclaimed garden designer and plantswoman Penelope Hobhouse draws on her extensive experience and shows you how an appreciation of style and techniques from all over the world helps us to understand how modern gardens have developed. Unrivalled in its coverage and written with the author's characteristic clarity and authority, this exceptional book is guaranteed to appeal to gardening enthusiasts or all ages and levels of expertise.



Chapters include:

The Origins of Gardening: the gardens of Mesopotamia, Egypt and Persia.

Gardens of Ancient Greece and Rome: The beginnings of botany and herbalism and design developments in the Classical world.

The Gardens of Islam: the `fourfold' garden's spread from the Middle East.

The Medieval Gardens of Christendom: The layers of meaning in the gardens of the Middle Ages.

The Renaissance Vision in Italy: The transition from classical villa gardens.

The Flowering of the European Garden: Louis XIV's power-gardening.

Plants on the Move: Early plant enthusiasts who searched for new species.

The English Landscape Garden: The 18th century Landscape Movement

The Eclectic 19th Century: European gardening during technological change.

The Americas Gardening's evolution on the America