In AD 1000 Britain had only a few hundred indigenous plants and many of the species we take for granted in our gardens and parks were as yet unknown in the UK. Over the past millennium, plant hunters have introduced what we now consider everyday plants, such as rhododendrons from China and gladiolus from Africa and exotics such as the monkey puzzle tree from Brazil. Respected garden historian Maggie Campbell-Culver has researched the provenance and often strange stories of many of the thousands of plants which add colour and beauty to our gardens to produce a gorgeous and valuable book.

About the Author

Maggie Campbell-Culver studied garden history, working on the excavation of Fisbourne Roman Palace in Sussex, before moving to Cornwall in 1974. A member of the National Council for the Conservation of Plants and Gardens since its inception, she managed the running and restoration of Mount Edgcumbe, the Grade I Historic Garden.