Here the author of Gardens of Gertrude Jekyll analyzes William Robinson (1838–1935) and his remarkable contribution to gardening. Robinson and Jekyll were almost exact contemporaries and each made enormous contributions to the English garden—and so to the gardens of the whole English-speaking and Anglophile world—if in rather different ways. Robinson, more than any other gardener, was responsible for sweeping away the carpet bedding of the Victorians and promoting a more relaxed style using hardy plants. Richard Bisgrove's delightful profile is illustrated with engravings from Robinson's books and contemporary watercolors, as well as photographs of Robinsonian gardens, in particular his own garden at Gravetye Manor.
"The richness of the illustration and the beauty of the design make this a joy to look at. This valuable piece of garden history sets Robinson and his achievements pithily in context. But it is also the tribute of one fine writer to another: by quoting Robinson so extensively, and with such enjoyment, Bisgrove introduces a new generation to his roaring prose. A distant historical figure lives again in all his cussedness and passion."—BBC Gardens Illustrated
