The Gardens of the British Working Class

By Margaret Willes,

Book cover of The Gardens of the British Working Class

Book description

This magnificently illustrated people's history celebrates the extraordinary feats of cultivation by the working class in Britain, even if the land they toiled, planted, and loved was not their own. Spanning more than four centuries, from the earliest records of the laboring classes in the country to today, Margaret Willes's…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

1 author picked The Gardens of the British Working Class as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Garden history is largely written about the gardens of the rich and famous, kings, queens, and aristocrats, But most of the population, in many countries, have small gardens, balconies, and window-boxes and tend them as lovingly as do the paid gardeners of the rich. Margaret Willes uncovers their history in Britain over five centuries; it is a difficult task because most working-class gardeners left few or no documentary records, but she succeeds triumphantly. Gardening societies, at which they showed off their prize fruit and vegetables, allotments, the garden cities of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, all have their…

From Roderick's list on the history of the gardening industry.

If you love The Gardens of the British Working Class...

Ad

Book cover of Marriage and Fatherhood in the Nazi SS

Marriage and Fatherhood in the Nazi SS By Amy Carney,

When I was writing this book, several of my friends jokingly called it the Nazi baby book, with one insisting it would make a great title. Nazi Babies – admittedly, that is a catchy title, but that’s not exactly what my book is about. SS babies would be slightly more…

Want books like The Gardens of the British Working Class?

Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like The Gardens of the British Working Class.

Browse books like The Gardens of the British Working Class

Book cover of Moving Heaven and Earth: Capability Brown's Gift of Landscape
Book cover of Mr Hamilton's Elysium: The Gardens of Painshill
Book cover of The Sun King's Garden: Louis XIV, Andre le Notre and the Creation of the Gardens of Versailles

Share your top 3 reads of 2024!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,592

readers submitted
so far, will you?

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in gardening, the working class, and vegetables?

Gardening 88 books
The Working Class 111 books
Vegetables 34 books