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The relationship between England and its gardens might be described as a love affair; gardening is one of our national passions, rooted in our history. The eighteenth century is often called the Golden Age of English gardening. As the fashion for formal pleasure grounds for the wealthy faded, pioneers including William Kent and Capability Brown created masterpieces of landscape design, ushering in a new era of picturesque vistas inspired by nature. From these creations spring our very idea of Englishness - rolling hills, beautiful curves, aesthetic surprises and architectural delights. Charting the transformation in our love of the garden through the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, The Golden Age of the Garden brings the voices of the past alive in newspaper reports, letters, diaries, books, essays and travelogues, offering contemporary gardening advice, principles of garden design, reflections on nature, landscape and plants, and a unique perspective on the origins of our fascination with gardens. Exploring the different styles, techniques and innovations of the past, and the creation of many of the stunning gardens we still visit today, this is a beautiful, evocative and rewarding collection for all gardeners seeking insight, new ideas, surprises and inspiration.