Synopses & Reviews
Taking a fresh and original approach to the life and reign of Queen Elizabeth I, this book tells the incredible story of her great passion for gardens, and how the two most powerful men in England during her reign fought a decade-long duel for their queens affections by creating lavish gardens for her. It chronicles how, in their quest to woo the queen and outdo each other, Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, and William Cecil, Baron of Burghley, competed for Elizabeths favor by laying out innovative and extravagant pleasure grounds at their palaces for when she came to visit. As she played one off against the other, they created gorgeous palaces and landscapes that amazed the world. The book also describes how others in England and abroad followed Dudleys and Cecils leads and how the queens love of plants made gardeners of courtiers, statesmen, and soldiers. This meticulously researched account reveals how Elizabeths enthusiasm for horticulture changed the world, encouraging gardeners and designers to create landscapes inspired by the spirit of the Elizabethan garden.
Review
“Bewitching and original. . . . Today . . . not a single authentic Elizabethan garden survives—all the more reason to welcome a book that uses a wealth of evocative detail to recreate this lost world of bright bowers and labyrinths. . . . Martyns scrupulous research restores life to . . . a landscape so enchanting. . . . [An] exquisite book.” —New York Times Book Review
Review
“[Martyn] uses gardens as a lens through which to view history, offering an enlightening perspective on Elizabeths reign. . . . A charming mix of gardening history and biography, related with evocative prose, this will delight those interested in gardening history, Queen Elizabeths life, or Elizabethan history.” —Library Journal
Synopsis
Queen Elizabeth Is great love for gardens transformed her country and made gardeners of statesmen, courtiers, and soldiers. The two most powerful men in England during Elizabeths reign, Dudley and Cecil, led the way. Driven by their rivalry and devotion to their queen, they created ever more gorgeous gardens that amazed the world.
About the Author
Trea Martyn completed a PhD in 18th-century literature at University College London. She has taught garden history at Birkbeck College, University of London, and landscape history at Central Saint Martin's School of Art in London.