The Artist and the Garden

“Strong has assembled an unparalleled collection of images. In doing so he provides invaluable information on the development of the garden in England, an artistic endeavour otherwise as transient as the blowing flowers themselves.”—Ann Geneva, Financial Times “A copious survey of paintings of English gardens from 1540 to the early 19th century. . . . What’s striking about The Artist and The Garden is that it’s one of the few books full of pictures of gardens in which the gardens are also full of people.”—Verlyn Klinkenborg, New York Times Book Review “The reproductions of the paintings, often zooming in on details that one might otherwise miss, are a feast in themselves, the text the result of serious detective work.”—Sunday Times “Turn the pages of this spectacular book and a largely vanished world of real and wishfully imagined gardens spring to life. . . . Fascinating.”—Judith Bumpus, The Art Newspaper “Strong uses [never before published images]. . . with informed brio to produce a text packed with new research and ideas.”—Jane Owen, The Times (London) “Every now and again an art historian comes up with a genuinely worthwhile new avenue to explore. Sir Roy Strong . . . has done just this with The Artist and The Garden.”—Wall Street Journal “A bounty of fascinating, beautifully reproduced images of gardens both real and fanciful. . . . A scholarly yet accessible study.”—Booklist “Strong brings his sure touch as an expert in art history and his passion for garden design to this wonderful survey of over 300 years of artistic representation of England’s gardens. . . . This is a work of outstanding scholarship and, clearly, a labor of love—an unbeatable combination.”—Library Journal (Starred Review) “An absorbing book. . . . The wealth of superb illustrations at every turn of the page offers visual delight and refreshment. . . . With additional insights and persuasive findings of his own, Strong gives depth to the story of why the garden took such hold of the English mind and soul. . . . This book is sure to remain a classic contribution to research on pre-Victorian gardens, as well as an insurance against further loss of our garden heritage.”—Judith Bumpus, Art Quarterly “Roy Strong’s return to garden writing after five years is a witty romp through 300 years of gardening history, captured in roughly the same number of paintings, engravings and drawings. . . . This is garden history at its best, recast in a fresh light with the aid of pictures which exert a romantic hold. These are gardens which have for the most part vanished, but lurking behind every view is not only the greater image of an earthly paradise but a sense of the happiness that they once afforded.”—Rachel Kelly, Daily Mail “Elegantly written and richly illustrated.”—House and Garden “The Artist & the Garden, both for its authoritative text and the quality of its illustrations, is likely to become the standard work on early British garden design. . . . A monumental achievement.”—Graham Gibson, Observer “This should be an appealing book to enthusiasts of art and gardens alike.”—The Bookseller “Based on a profound knowledge of the subject, this superbly illustrated book amounts to a major achievement. It is also a triumph of detection.”—Richard Cork, The Times (London) Named a New York Times Book Review Notable Book for 2000