This charming classic of gardening literature takes us on a tour of the great gardens of the past. Each of Fairbrother"s chapters is filled with the fascinating history of gardening. From the humblest vegetable plots of the Anglo-Saxons to King Henry VIII"s topiary gardens, filled with fantastic creatures and beasts, Fairbrother shows us how these gardens are true mirrors of the age to which they belong. As she follows the changing fashions in gardens - from functional gardening to gardens as "rooms for outdoor living" - Fairbrother leads us through the fascinating literature that gardening has inspired, evoking the pleasure and joys that gardens have to offer. (6 X 9, 288 pages, illustrations)