Mrs Beeton's Gardening Companion (Wordsworth Reference)

IsabellaBeetonwasbornin1836,theeldestoftwenty-onechildren,anddiedattheagetwenty-eight.Despitetheshortnessofherlifeshemanagedtoproducenotonlyherworld-famousbookofHouseholdManagementbutalsothislesserknownbutequallycomprehensivebookofGardenManagement.Thesubjectscoveredarefamiliartoallthosewhoreadmodernjournalismandbooksongardeningorwatchgardeningprogrammesontelevision:soilstructures,manuresandcompost,planningandlandscaping,wallsandfences,ornamentalfeatures,tools,sowing,plantingandtransplanting.Therearechaptersontrees,shrubs,flowers,vegetables,herbsandfruitgrowing;onframesandglasshouses;andfinallytwelvechapterscoveringthegardeningyear.MrsBeetonfirstpublishedHouseholdManagementandGardenManagementinthe1860satatimewhenVictorianmiddle-classfamilieshadmoneytospendbutlittleornopreviousexperienceofowningormanaginghousesandgardens.MrsBeeton'sguidanceprovedextremelyusefulandpopular.Herinformationandwisdomweresosoundthatmanyofherpreceptsremained'rules'wellintothemiddleofthetwentiethcentury.MrsBeeton'sGardenManagementisnotonlypackedwithhorticulturaladviceontheuseoftraditionalmethods-alwayswithaneyetonewideas-butitisalsoasocialdocumentprovidinganinsightintotheartofgardeningasitwassoenthusiasticallypractisedinthepast.