Hardcover

Published: 26th June 2012

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In the tradition of The Garden at Chatsworth, this book started out as an account of the gardens of another great Cavendish estate, Holker Hall in Cumbria. It has turned into much more: it is the story of a family, of a life, of a community, of continuity with the past and adaptation to the modern age.

Hugh Cavendish writes about the history of Holker, which dates back to the sixteenth century and has never been bought or sold but has passed by inheritance through the family line, with each each generation leaving its impressions. He writes too about his family - his grandparents who, faced with 'serious financial embarrassment' sat down with a list to find savings and 'having identified essentials, they agreed to give up taking Country Life and having hot water and lemon after dinner' - but still thought it not unreasonable to plan to divert a river to run through the park; his mother ('relations with my mother were never good, and often spectacularly bad'); his aunts (collectively identified as the 'Aunt Heap'). He describes his own life, as a child at Holker ('when I look back I allow myself the indulgence of believing I was not quite as stupid as my schoolmasters held me to be; nor quite as lazy) and later as the owner of Holker, finding a way of managing huge resources and responsibilities and also immense debt. And, of course, he writes about the garden.

'This is the story of both the titled Lord and the ordinary perceptive human being who finds peace in his own garden' Keswick Reminder 'This is the story of a family, a life, a community and an exploration of continuity with the past and adaption to the modern age' Garden News An excellent read for all garden lovers, local history buffs, anyone who has ever visited Holker Hall and even those who haven't because A Time to Plant will ensure you do. Grange Now 'Plenty for the historian, amateur gardener and serious plantsmen' The Whitehaven News 'For sheer fun, A Time to Plan t beats anything I've read this year' -- Leslie Geddes-Brown Country Life 'The photographs are uniformly excellent, making one want to rush immediately to Holker or even attempt to grow some of the plants depicted' Spectator 'Today Hugh Cavendish spends his timing gazing at the running waters, thinking, waiting for the trout to respond to the fly. In this book he ruminates on a long and fortunate life, reading the swirling waters, thinking, recollecting, philosophising, and catching those rare moments of enchantment in a garden' Cumberland News 'The idea that knowledge of, as well as care and respect for, your subject leads to improved artistic output is clearly on display within the pages of A Time to Plant' Outdoor Photography '...an account of what art is, the art here being not a painting, a novel or a symphony, but a garden...Gardening, as seen by Hugh Cavendish, is a context for other things, a means of giving and taking pleasure, a continuing experience rather than a thing completed, and a joint venture (with Grania).' -- Charles Moore The Daily Telegraph 'Pleasingly detailed, horticulturally inspiring, gently opinionated, affectionate and at times very funny; in short, a love letter both to and from an all-consuming house and garden' Oldie Beautifully written and designed, the exquisite photographs and the charming end papers with a map of the garden draw the reader through a treasure trove of plants, garden architecture and fine views to the surrounding countryside of the Lake District fells and the Leven estuary. Historic House 'The imaginative and creative gardening partnership between the author and his wife, Grania, photographer, artist and his catalyst, has not only produced one of the great gardens of England but also this fascinating book... The book teaches as well as enchants ... a huge pleasure.' Historic House 'On the back jacket of this book the author is photographed... his humorous, weather-beaten face gazes out from beneath a wide-brimmed hat - and you know immediately that you are going to be enjoy being drawn into his world' The World of Interiors 'This may be a unique account (I do not know another) of how a garden links and divides generations; sometimes painfully personal, yet purposeful, resourceful, and finally hugely successful.' The Garden

ISBN: 9780711232846
ISBN-10: 0711232849
Audience: General
Format: Hardcover
Language: English
Number Of Pages: 272
Published: 26th June 2012
Dimensions (cm): 23.0 x 17.0  x 2.8
Weight (kg): 1.066