Gertrude Jekyll (1843-1932), the distinguished and influential garden designer of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, originally trained as an artist but later turned her hand to craftwork, gardening, and plant collecting and breeding. During her career she collaborated with distinguished architects such as Sir Edwin Lutyens and reached a popular audience through the publication of articles in newspapers and magazines such as William Robinson's The Garden. Jekyll's second book, first published in 1890, is a collection of her advice and reflections on a range of topics, particularly those relating to her own home, Munstead Wood. It contains chapters on particular plants, and gives guidance on projects such as building rock gardens, as well as more idiosyncratic pieces on her cats, or the importance of one's own tools. Jekyll's informal tone and the range of topics discussed make this a fascinating work of social and gardening history.
