A year in books : March

Hello......... Well I have to say I really enjoyed last months read

It was Philippa Gregory's 'Earthly Joys' about the 17th century Botanist and  Gardener John Tradescant.

Reading this novel I discovered we have so many wonderful plants we have to thank him for, He introduced the Horse chestnut tree into the country, so I'd like to say a big thanks for that alone

As I just love our tree that stands in the garden by the Summerhouse.

 Tulips too.
(this pictures from last Spring, in our front garden)

The book spans his life and travels, collecting plants and designing some of the great gardens of the time and the extraordinary trade in Tulips 

One thousand pounds is paid for just one Semper Augustus Tulip bulb !!!

and that a fortune today, let alone then, I mean I do love a Tulip but I think things got a little out of hand.

As I said I really enjoyed the history and the gardening in this book and some of the book is set in my little corner of the world which was great as it was still recognisable to this day.  All in all a good read although I did lose interest part way through when he went off to war with the Duke of Buckingham but then I'm not a fan of the great waste that is war.

I've not read a lot of fact based historical novels before but it was so interesting I found myself

doing a bit of research online about this fascinating family. Who are brought so many plants that we now find in our gardens today, into the country and also openned the first museum open to the general public.  So now I'm planning on reading the next novel about his son's travels to America plant collecting.

Above is a knot garden planted up with the 1700 century plants the Tradescant would have been so familiar with. Both father and son were buried at this site which was once the churchyard of St Mary-at-Lambeth it is now the site of the Museum of Garden History I've put a link 'here'  
and this garden is dedicated to them.

Now for my March read

As I'm starting a new pacing treatment program for my ME/Lyme disease at the moment I decided to pick a less time demanding read.  As my reading time will be limited to only 10 minutes every other day.

Originally I planned to pick a anthology of poetry for this months read but it's hiding somewhere in the Summerhouse (probably in one of those safe places !!) so while I was looking for it I found this dear little book that I bought when we went to The Lake District a few years ago.

I just love Beatrix Potter's illustration, so hopefully you won't mind that I am picking this as my March read, well the stories are classics really.

Joining in with Laura and Circle of Pine trees the year in books

Happy Reading

Clare xx