A Year at Kew

by Rupert Smith, Alan Titchmarsh (Foreword)

England’s Kew Garden, which receives over a million visitors a year, was recently designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, ranking it alongside Stonehenge, the Pyramids, and the Taj Mahal. This companion to the new BBC series, A Year at Kew Garden, now takes us on a private tour of this great botanical garden, looking at the work of Kew’s experts—in the greenhouses, labs, and libraries—that gives the garden its reputation as a center of scientific excellence. Each monthly chapter highlights what is in flower at Kew, what is being planted or removed, and what special activities are going on there, including seasonal festivals and exhibitions.

Genres: Nonfiction, Gardening

192 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 2004

About the author

Rupert Smith was born in Washington DC in 1960, and grew up in Surrey. He has lived in London since 1978. After graduating with a BA in English, he continued his studies at the University of London and in 1986 completed his PhD in theatre history. He is the author of many novels, under his own name and as James Lear and Rupert James. As a journalist, he has contributed to The Guardian, The Independent on Sunday, The Times, The Los Angeles Times, Radio Times, Time Out, Gay Times and probably some other publications with the word "time" in the title.

His latest book GRIM is his first foray into horror.

Reviews

[Ruth Brumby]

Despite the title the book is mostly structure around people with responsibility for various parts of kew describing their work. This is fascinating because it gives a view behind the scenes, reveals different personalities and gives a sense of Kew as a community. The illustrations are attractive and the pieces about each month do hold it together. It's not a book in any depth and is clearly a celebration of World heritage Status and an explanation of Kew's need for funding.

[Sophy H]

A brilliant book on Kew Gardens showing the changing of the seasons with a month by month account of the gardens.

Some amazing photographs and interesting interviews with the various staff working there.

Highly recommended for the green fingered out there.

[Gabriel]

Enjoyed the very much, had to get the book when saw it at Kew.