Monthly Archives: February 2019

It maybe a strange title but this is really the story of a rich young man and his passion for plants or rather one particular kind of plant.  James Bateman was the grandson and son of rich industrialists who had … Continue reading →

At the end of last year I wrote  about the travel journals of John Byng, 5th Viscount Torrington. His diaries are, unlike most 18thc published writing, quite informal in style , probably because he  had no intention of putting his … Continue reading →

I’ve been meaning to write about the gardens of Arundel Castle since I visited last summer with friends from  the Birkbeck Garden History Group and discovered the new[ish] Collector Earl’s Garden with [amongst other things]   Oberon’s Palace, a floating … Continue reading →