Publications

The Walled Kitchen Gardens of Finedon, Northamptonshire

By Elizabeth Taylor
ISBN: order from gardenhistory@outlook.com

“Finedon Walled Kitchen Gardens” contains a wealth of previously unpublished research on the history of the two walled kitchen gardens in Finedon - those of The Hall (now in multi ownership) and The Vicarage (a private dwelling since 2000).  

 

The book covers the period from the first incarnation of the walled kitchen garden at Finedon Hall c1805, Humphry Repton’s suggestion to move the kitchen garden during his proposed redesign of the grounds, through the later history of the gardens up to the present day.  The history of the vicarage kitchen garden is also covered, using primary source documents. 

 

This is the first book to be published by the Northamptonshire Gardens Trust and is an exciting prelude to published material of the Walled Kitchen Gardens of Northamptonshire research project which has been underway for eight years. 

 

A History of Kitchen Gardens

By Susan Campbell
ISBN: 978-1-910065-91-4

The definitive work on Walled Kitchen Gardens by the country’s leading expert in the field. The work is delightfully illustrated by the author herself. Susan has visited over 600 walled gardens in the UK.

Available to buy from Waterstones or Amazon.

The Head Gardeners

By Toby Musgrave
ISBN: 1845134117

‘Toby Musgrave’s delightful book about the single-minded and often tyrannical horticulturalistic pioneers of the English country garden.’ Independent on Sunday

Available to buy from: Amazon

Walled Kitchen Gardens

By Susan Campbell
ISBN: 9780747806578

An excellent introduction to walled kitchen gardens. Well illustrated, it covers the situation, design and layout of walled gardens, cultivation and crops, the walls and their fruit, heat and glasshouses, and the back sheds and the workforce.

Available to buy from: Amazon  or direct from Shire Books.

The Country House Kitchen Garden

By C. Anne Wilson
ISBN: 075245594X

C Anne Wilson compiled these chapters, written by many different experts in the field of gardening history and heritage. She was formerly an Assistant Librarian at the Brotherton Library, Leeds University and is now a freelance historian. She has published books and articles on food history in Britain and early wine-distilling.

Available to buy from: Amazon

Charleston Kedding, A History of Kitchen Gardening

By Susan Campbell
ISBN: 0091813859

Comprehensive, richly illustrated and beautifully written, this book traces the history of kitchen gardening from the Greek and Roman roots to the present day. It offers a fascinating insight into the skills and horticultural secrets of the past, by examining the development of the walled kitchen garden – its structure, layout and planting – through the imaginary yet typical English country estate, Charleston Kedding. 288pp, hardback. Out of print.

Available to buy from Amazon
Published by Random House, 1996.

Cottesbrooke

By Susan Campbell
ISBN: 0712612513

The 12-month diary of the activities in a kitchen garden in Northamptonshire that was still being run in the old, traditional way in 1984. Out of print.

Available to buy from: Amazon
Published by Century Press 1987

Glasshouses

By Fiona Grant
ISBN: 9780747812463

A useful introduction to the development of the glasshouse, beginning with the orangery and 18th century hothouses through to the mid 20th century. It covers the mass produced glasshouses of the 19th century, with a chapter on restored examples. Also included is a list of places to visit where restored glasshouses can be seen in use.

Available to buy from: Amazon or direct from Shire Books

A Paradise Out of a Common Field

By Joan Morgan and Alison Richards
ISBN: 0712622098

Subtitled “the pleasures and plenty of the Victorian garden”, this book is about the accomplishments of the head gardener in the hey-day (1840-76) of Victorian gardening and the way in which he supported the social function of the country house. The model is the gardens at Linton Park in Kent. There are several good chapters on the productions of the kitchen garden and its glasshouses.

Available to buy from: Amazon
Published by Century, 1990

The Victorian Kitchen Garden

By Jennifer Davis
ISBN: 0563204427

The book that was written to accompany a famous BBC television series on this subject.

Available to buy from: Amazon
BBC Books 1987