Sir Roy Strong’s garden The Laskett in Much Birch, near Ross on Wye in Herefordshire is a garden I am yet to visit and on receiving my pre-publishing copy of Remaking a Garden The Laskett Transformed from Frances Lincoln publishers, it is now definitely on my ‘must visit in 2014′ list.
The Laskett Garden is one of the largest private formal gardens created in England since 1945. Over almost four decades historian, Sir Roy Strong, and his late wife, theatre designer Julia Trevelyan Oman, transformed a four acre field into a series of stunning garden rooms, vistas, ascents and descents.
The book takes us initially through a timeline from 1973 when Roy Strong and his late wife Julia bought The Laskett. Rather than a written guide of the garden, it is more of a picture book full of photos taken by Clive Boursnell. It starts with a written history of the garden, which sets a backdrop. When Julia died in 2003, Roy spent a lot of his time revamping the house, and it was only in 2005 that he decided to remake the garden which is what this book is all about.
Remaking a Garden is not a book that will give you information about gardening, plants and planting designs. It will however take you on a journey and we are introduced to “The Cast” of gardeners, builders, painters, tree surgeons and others over the years as they transform The Laskett.
Who are the lead members of The Cast?
Sir Roy Strong is a writer, historian, broadcaster and gardener. He has published many books, including The Laskett: the Story of a Garden, Creating Small Gardens, The Roy Strong Diaries, Visions of England and Self- Portrait as a Young Man.
Clive Boursnell is a photographer of architecture, gardens, landscapes and people. His books include: The Curious Gardeners, The Royal Opera House, Houses of the Lake District, Old Covent Garden: The Fruit, Vegetable and Flower Markets and Covent Garden: Then and Now.
The majority of Clive Boursnell photographs are actions shoots along with before and after photos such as the development of the New Walk.
The closing date is midnight on Wednesday 21st May and I will draw the winner the next day and let you know by email.
Sir Roy Strong and Clive Boursnell will also be hosting a talk at the Garden Museum in London on 3rd June 2014 where they will be discussing the remarkable transformation of The Laskett and signing copies of the book.
