How to Read an English Garden

The third in the acclaimed How to Read... series, this is a beautifully illustrated guide to everything you see in a garden, what it means and how it came to be there.

There is a genuine need for an intelligent, easy-to-use and well laid-out book that will provide expert, unpatronising information for both existing enthusiasts and especially for the growing number of people who have recently discovered an interest in gardens.

stunning photographs of gardens in all their glory are interspersed with copious and riveting information about their history, cultural and social significance...in irresistible short chapters, the authors regale us with intriguing horticultural facts

A well-illustrated, informative and entertaining guide....a superb dip-into introduction to the fascinating world of garden history

Richard Taylor is the author of How to Read a Church. Dr Andrew Eburne is editor of the Garden History Journal and a consultant for historic gardens including Blickling Hall in Norfolk and Marble Hill in London. Richard and Andrew met while studying English at Oxford and have been close friends for almost twenty years.

Richard Taylor, author of the best-selling How to Read a Church, joins forces with garden historian Andrew Eburne to produce the ultimate guide to historic and modern gardens. 
 
Gardens are amongst the fastest-growing visitor attractions today - in the UK alone 15 million people will visit a garden this year. How to Read an English Garden is the essential book for every garden lover. It provides an account of the different elements of gardens of all ages and explains their meaning and their history: here, you'll find the answer to such questions as: when were tulips introduced into our gardens, and what was 'tulip-mania'? What is a knot-garden, and what was the origin of its design? Who was 'Capability' Brown, and how did he get his name? Why are mazes such a common feature in English garden design? In addition, the book explains how lawns, flowerbeds, trees and ponds came to be a feature not just of grand houses but of gardens everywhere. Among the many subjects covered are: garden design, plant introductions and collectors, kitchen gardens, water gardens, and garden styles from around the world: English, American, Chinese and Moorish to name just a few. 
 
Clearly laid out and beautifully illustrated, How to Read an English Garden brings historic and modern gardens to life: a book to accompany garden visitors everywhere, or to be enjoyed and dipped into at home.

The Stories Behind the Letters and Documents of Our Past

Secrets of The National Archives

With unprecedented access to the National Archives, Richard Taylor reveals an extraordinary collection of documents that helped shape the world we know today

Secrets of The National Archives provides a fascinating sample of the extraordinary and often unexpected treasures which are the essence of our history.

Richard Taylor (Author) Richard Taylor was born in 1967. He studied English at Cambridge University and Law at London University, and now lives and works as a lawyer in Sheffield. He is the author of the bestselling book How To Read A Church and presenter of the BBC4 series Churches: How To Read Them, inspired by his book. The National Archives (Author) The National Archives is the official archive and publisher for the UK government and for England and Wales. It is the guardian of a vast array of iconic national documents dating back over 1,000 years.

The National Archives is one of the most remarkable collections of documents in the world, holding over 120 miles of papers. In 2010 the staff at the Archives were asked to select their favourite document. The results of this poll form the basis of this book, skilfully curated by bestselling author Richard Taylor. Each of the documents has a timeless quality, acting as a true testament to a moment in history. The Magna Carta is a document sealed in a damp field in Surrey, yet is deferred to centuries later by Governments and Courts around the world; a parchment letter written by a terrified young girl pleading for her life paves the way for the girl to become Elizabeth I; the first example of musical notation is discovered on the back of another document; the actual telegram sent from a sinking Titanic remains heart-rending today; a ship's log written by Captain Cook, at anchor in Botany Bay, records his first encounter with Australian Aborigines. Far from being dusty documents from the past, these papers twinkle with life and resonate powerfully today. Fully illustrated, this book allows us to glimpse history as it really happened.

Richard Taylor

'[a] gem of a book' Spectator 
 
Churches and cathedrals were originally built to be read. They are alive with images and symbols. But today few people, including regular visitors, truly understand the wealth of meaning in what they find there. 
 
How to Read a Church is a fascinating guide for anybody who wants to know more about what they see in a church or cathedral. It explains the significance of church layout, the symbolism of key scenes and the importance of details such as the use of colours and letters. It is an essential guide to the history, meanings and messages of these beautiful buildings and the treasures they contain.

Richard Taylor

Books by Richard Taylor

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