Travel Guide Review: The Gardens of English Heritage

The Gardens of English Heritage by Gilian Mawrey & Linden Groves

This is what I call a travel guide. Not a phone book of addresses and hours open. But a book I can read before I go to linger over each beautiful photograph and read evocative descriptions and plan a trip that I know beforehand I will love. 

Actually, this is a coffee table size book so you can not drop it in your bag and carry it with you but you can use it as a wonderful resource and inspiration before you go.

I lived in England for many years and on weekends would often take off to explore the National Heritage Gardens, which are magnificent. The English Heritage owns and manages historic properties throughout England for the benefit of the rest of us. This book opens their gates and allows you to visually stroll through them.

This lovely book covers 23 gardens, including Queen Victoria's Osborne House, Kenilworth Castle, Chiswick House, and Old Wardour Castle, among others.

Each property is fully detailed with its history, pictures of rooms and paintings and furniture, and descriptions of the gardeners and the gardens they created for the property.

If you love gardening and visiting historic homes, this book is for you. 

The Gardens of English Heritage by Gillian Mawrey & Linden Groves