On the Portraits of English Authors on Gardening, with Biographical Notices of Them, 2nd edition, with considerable additions

This thoughtful volume gathers together the likenesses and lives of England’s garden‑loving writers, all of whom have now passed on. Within its pages you’ll find brief biographical sketches that illuminate how each author’s love of horticulture shaped his prose and poetry, paired with commentary on the portraits that once captured their features for family and friends. The author’s gentle admiration shines through as he urges readers to picture these literary gardeners‑turned‑landscapers, reminding us that portraiture can convey both personality and the passions that inspired their work.

Beyond the English names, the book widens its gaze to the broader European tradition, noting the cross‑channel exchange of gardening ideas and the lack of many engraved likenesses for French horticultural figures. By weaving together anecdotes, literary quotations, and historical context, the work offers a quiet celebration of the people whose pens and plants helped define the aesthetic of the ancient English garden. Listeners will come away with a richer sense of how literary talent and garden artistry have long walked hand in hand.