Walled Gardens

The walled garden was once an essential component of every country house, its shelter providing ideal conditions for growing food, flowers, and medicine. This book from the National Trust looks at walled gardens throughout England and Wales and explores their history, innovative design, and cultural heritage. Walled gardens are a feature of British gardening history. In the late 18th century, gardens became status symbols, with aristocrats vying to grow ever more exotic fruits—ushering in innovations such as glasshouses and even heated walls. With the First and Second World Wars many of these gardens fell into disrepair, but renovated ones feature at many key National Trust properties and remain a source of pride and fascination today.

Jules Hudson is an archeologist who hosts the BBC show Escape to the Country.