Gardening At Eden

About this book

Eden is unique as a botanic garden in that is young enough for all the people who conceived it to be around and accessible; and all those who planted it, and learnt from the experience are still there and able to share their knowledge of the triumphs and successes of each habitat and each plant. Written and photographed during a year spent with Eden's experts, Gardening of Eden focuses on all the different habitats of Eden and how they are gardened; all the techniques used and lessons learned; how these can be translated to the domestic garden; the 21st-century gardening tips taken straight from Eden's pioneering work; and the stories and anecdotes of a brand new botanic garden. Ever wondered if you could grow bananas - or what else you could grow to get that tropical effect; how to achieve the smells of the Mediterrannean in Cumbria; why Eden grow a certain climber up the banks of the pit: what purpose it serves and whether that might be helpful in your precipitous plot? Genuinely inspirational, full of practical advice and lavishly illustrated with 300 specially commissioned photographs.

Customer Reviews

Biography

Matthew began his gardening career in Leicester Parks' Department, became Head Gardener at a private house and ran his own landscaping and maintenance company. He gained practical qualifications at Pershore College of Horticulture and then a Diploma in Horticulture from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, where he also worked as Staff Training Officer and as a specialist guide. He has appeared on many TV gardening programmes: Garden Club; The Cook's Garden; Garden Club Question Time and How Does Your Garden Grow; and directed Grass Roots. For 15 years he was guest expert on LBC's gardening phone-in, and is now a panel member on R4's Gardener's Question Time. He lives near St Albans with his young family, and is a guest lecturer at the English Gardening School when he's not leading groups on gardening cruises world-wide, satisfying a passion for tropical plants.