A Garden in the Hills

In the Hills

by Katharine Stewart

When Katharine Stewart's first books were originally published, they were completely ahead of their time, promoting an environmentally sustainable lifestyle in a era before most people realised that modern food production and man's disconnection from nature were serious issues. They tell of the strength to be found in communities with a common purpose and how the people of the Highlands survived the worst that Scottish winters could throw at them. A Garden in the Hills celebrates one of mankind's oldest pleasures. Month by month, the circle of the seasons is luminously evoked as we are told of the practicalities of gardening, cooking, bee-keeping and wine-making. It is peppered with warm, personal insights and good humour. A love of living things shines through "A Garden in the Hills," making it a delightfully engaging and rewarding read.

Genres: Gardening

120 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2006

About the author

Katharine Stewart was an author, crofter, teacher and postmistress. She is most well known for her book A Croft in the Hills. First published in 1960, it describes the life of a family in a remote croft in the 1950s. The book has been republished and reprinted seven times. She also wrote A Garden in the Hills, A School in the Hills and The Post in the Hills.

Reviews

[Phil · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this because I so enjoyed reading A Croft in the Hills by the same author. While this was a pleasant read, it doesn't quite match up to the first book - it is more rambling and disjointed. Also, Ann Shortread's illustrations in this book are quite messy and overdrawn compared to her work in 'A Croft in the Hills'. In the foreward, Stewart comments that Shortread has recently died, so perhaps failing health explains the falling off in quality.

It's still worth reading, although it lacks the quality of the earlier book. I plan to read some of her other books, which were published in between 'Croft in the Hills' and this one.

[Arlie Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Katharine Stewart writes beautiful descriptions of Scotland and of her gardening efforts in the Scottish Highlands.

[Saila Routio · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a gem! And what a lovely lady Mrs. Stewart was. Such a thought-provoking read for any gardener.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

A gardening journal set in the Scottish Highlands. Charming.

[Catherine Jeffrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

A highland gardening year

[Charity · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a slow one. It made for good bedtime reading and inspired me to plan my garden for next year, but is not her most engaging work.