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Following the success of Colour for Adventurous Gardeners, the most adventurous gardener of all time is back to reveal how he plans, creates and maintains his celebrated borders. Most gardeners want their borders to be interesting and colourful over a long season, even year-round if winters are not too severe. Christopher Lloyd OBE shows how he and Fergus Garrett, Head Gardener at Great Dixter, choose and orchestrate plants for maximum effect. Having covered the principles of succession planting, Lloyd explores the ingredients from anchor plants and permanent perennials to drop-in plants and self-sowers - necessary to ensure continually lively borders. The master of his craft reveals the secrets of keeping every inch of border working hard so that planting schemes are created and maintained in brilliant succession. With superb photographs by Jonathan Buckley, this book will inspire as well as instruct those passionate about their garden. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (24)

A Worthy Historical Compilation
From the advance of the Mogul Empire to the migration of mammals from continent to continent, from the rise of the dinosaurs to the Wright brothers' first powered flight, this book is a worthy historical compilation suitable for any library.Students of history will thrill to each magnificent chapter and the fine paintings and photographs highlight those special moments that bring history to life.The timeline at the end of the book is also a gold mine of information, enabling the reader to place events in their proper perspective.Beautifully done.

Gorgeous and informative
This is a book that took me a long time to get through, not because I didn't enjoy it but because there's just so, so much here. It's beautifully illustrated and one of those family reference resources that we've pulled down from the shelf many times in the past six months when one of the kids had a homework question or was just wondering about the nature of our planet. Easy to read and a great resource.

An agenda written between the lines
I thought this would be an enjoyable read, given that the book purports to explain "everything," but as I read through it the author's agenda became quite clear. Of course every subject cannot be treated comprehensively, but it was appalling to see the bias with which some subjects were treated. In some areas, the author did indeed delve deeply into the subject but he gave short shrift to others. A whole chapter on what he seems to feel is the glorious rise of Islam, but when he gets to the Holocaust he gives it less than half a sentence. Furthermore, he refers to the Holocaust as "what is now called the holocaust," lower-case "h," and that is the ENTIRE extent of this topic. Chapters and chapters on China and every other part of history, but half a sentence to the greatest outrage in history!
Throughout the book the author exhibits a very strong left-wing bias, in areas too numerous to mention. I am certainly glad that I got this from the library rather than purchasing it, and I am getting rid of it immediately.

nice overview, but could have been better
I have been postponing writing this review because I have been meaning to read the whole book first, but I lost interest and can't get it back.So here is my review, based on the first third of the book, together with random samplings of the rest.

The conceit of this book is to connect human history with the history of the physical world, and to start the latter all the way back at the beginning of the known universe in the big bang.Human history is certainly essentially connected with the environment, as beautifully expounded in the books by Jared Diamond (which seem to have been a heavy influence on the present book).It is nice to have an overview of all of history (as opposed to the particular aspects studied by Jared Diamond) which emphasizes this important aspect.However I think it is overkill to go all the way back to the big bang.It would be enough to start a million or two years ago.

In any case, the first quarter of the book, from the big bang to the emergence of humans, is kind of shaky.This part of the book is more science than history and could be a lot better if some expert editors would clean it up.There are poor explanations (for example the explanation of how trees transport water from their roots to their leaves doesn't explain anything), vapid prose, outright errors displaying complete ignorance of the relevant areas of science (for example the book says that it is not known whether the rate of expansion of the universe is increasing, but in fact a major discovery in astronomy in 1998, which has since been independently confirmed in a number of different ways, is that the universe is expanding at an exponential rate), and excessive striving to make connections where there are none (for example it talks about how insects developed the "first societies" or something like that, but this has no relevance whatsoever to the development of human societies).

The later parts of the book, which discuss human history, seem to be on firmer ground (but maybe it just seems this way to me because I don't know so much about these topics).Obviously a 400 page book on all of history is going to have to skip over a lot of details.Still, I think one could have explained a lot more in the space available.

The author has a cynical view of human history in terms of exploitation and destruction of natural resources.I think this is actually an essential aspect to keep in mind, although the author maybe goes a bit too far with this.He presents a romantic view of stone age life as a kind of paradise, which is not exactly credible.

The original illustrations touted in the product description are nice, but nothing spectacular.

In summary: this is a nice overview, and would probably be good for children (and I plan to browse some of the human history chapters in the future).However for describing the relation between human history and the environment, Jared Diamond is much better.

The History of Everything That Ever Happened, In 400 Pages
A history book that claims to be the complete story of Earth, life, and mankind from the Big Bang to now sets for itself a mark that would be hard to do in an encyclopedia, much less a single 400 page volume. Lloyd pulls it off, albeit mostly as a surface study of all that's happened, but that's not a bad thing. Broken into four sections, /What on Earth Happened?/ doesn't spend a huge number of pages on the early years (13.7 billion years ago to 7 million BC), but does a more than adequate job explaining the creation of the universe, the earth, and how early life began and changed. The other three sections are focused around human development, civilization, and events, right on up to a final chapter discussing the challenges facing humankind today. It is well written, entertaining, and well organized. One of the small touches, is a 24-hour countdown clock on the edges of the pages, giving a perspective of the time frame involved over almost 14 billion years. The many illustrations and maps are a good addition, and are helpful to the reader. Lloyd's multiple Top Ten lists in the back are fun (Top Ten Natural Events That Shaped the World) and his bibliography and notes provide further reading for anyone looking for more in depth information. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (7)

Great book of knowledge
This is a great book of knowledge that sort of reminds me of the old TV show "Connections" Easy to reag and understand.

Worms
This is one of the most interesting books I've read....I learned a lot about long extinct species and the contributions of all of them...the fact that the symbiotic relationship between some are so close that they are married...for example a species of orchid is so specialized that only the carpenter bee can pollinate it...and of the 100 most important specides on the third rock from the sun is the worm...for without the worm it would only be a rock.

Outstanding!
This book is easily the most interesting book I have read in several years. The evolutionary histories and historical impacts of everything from bees to flu virus to wheat are discussed in highly entertaining prose, with a ranking of each species in its importance to the Earth's history. There are so many fascinating side discussions, from the abiogenesis of life to the domestication of man by various plants and viruses that make this book even more thought-provoking and valuable. The material wets your appetite for more, and a Further Reading section is included as well as endnotes on the website.

Looks very good, except for a little problem
I have leafed through this book at a bookstore and, frankly, wanted to beat their $45 price. It looks really good. There are too many illustrations for it to be useful on a Kindle, so I need a dead tree copy. What's with the price here? Did I see a paperback version, which Amazon says is unavailable as of Feb 12, 2010?

Update: looks like Amazon dropped the price, which is now reasonable for a hardcover. Trouble is, now I want to read it on my iPad. Will a Kindle version have color illustrations? Probably not, even though reading Kindle books on iPad will create a market for such.

Fascinating Look at Our Evolution
Bought this book as a Christmas present for my wife.It became the hot topic at our house over the Holidays.First heard about the book through an NPR radio interview of the author.Here's the link:

[...]

It will give you a great idea of what the book is all about.Nice that the book is divided into compartments so you don't feel like you need to read the whole book at once. ... Read more

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This text brings together the two passions of the author: cookery and gardening. Christopher Lloyd describes how he grows and cooks fruit, vegetables, salad plants and herbs and asserts that if one grows food for flavour, it ought then to be cooked to bring out the best flavour.Amazon.com Review
Christopher Lloyd, the great British garden writer, lives atGreat Dixter, which, thanks to him, is something of a gardener's MountOlympus. Now Lloyd reveals that the kitchen garden at Great Dixter isas much a part of his daily life as the flowerbeds. GardenerCook is a cookbook for the passionate vegetable gardener, withsturdy, simple recipes, many borrowed from one of British cuisine'sluminaries, Jane Grigson. The beautiful photographs are all ofvegetables in their natural state, either growing or just-picked;Lloyd says, in an aside, "I hate those books that haveglamorously laid out meals in violently coloured illustrations, whichentirely put me off the product." There's no putting us off theproduct in Gardener Cook. Lloyd writes so charmingly even ofunpopular vegetables as the beet and parsnip that the reader will feelan intense desire to serve "Beets Baked with Cream and ParmesanCheese" at dinner parties. The quantities in each recipe arethoroughly Americanized, though some of the ingredients, such aspartridges, may seem exotic to those not able to avail themselves of afairly sophisticated supermarket. The gregarious Lloyd is scrupulousabout giving the number of servings for each recipe, and one suspectsthat he never underestimates how much one person can eat. --BarrieTrinkle ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Unhurried ramble through the kitchen, garden and orchard
Gather some insight into what the kitchen is really like at Dixter!Christopher Lloyd shares his secrets on when unusual fruit are ripe to pick from the tree, and how to cook some of those less common garden fruit andvegetables. ... Read more

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The gripping life story of the Nelson's most fearless and renowned frigate captain.

Popularly known as "The Sea Wolf" for his daring, skill, and enterprise, Thomas Cochrane, Earl of Dundonald, was one of the finest frigate captains to fight in Nelson's navy. Christopher Lloyd's vivid biography paints a memorable portrait of the leader, inventor, and reformer whose courageous actions inspired the works of Frederick Marryat, C. S. Forester, and Patrick O'Brian.Amazon.com Review
Thomas Cochrane (1775-1860), the 10th Earl of Dundonald, was aman distinctly of his time, and in some ways far in advance ofit. Descended from a noble Scottish family that had fallen on hardtimes, Cochrane had a naval career spanning the Napoleonic wars andbeyond, to the struggles for independence of Chile, Peru, Brazil, andGreece. His exploits showed such tactical genius that they have becometextbook examples in military training, and his derring-do inspiredthe lives and fiction of Frederick Marryat (who sailed with Cochraneas a young man), C.S. Forester, and Joseph Conrad.

But Cochrane's career was a checkered one, due mostly to his dislikeof authority and tendency to nurse grudges. The man whose meticulousnaval strategies were masterpieces of preparation was prone toill-considered attacks on those in command, and his career as aBritish naval officer came to an effective end when he prosecuted acourt martial against his commanding officer Lord Gambier after hisnear-disastrous timidity at the Battle in the Aix Roads. His politicalcareer as a radical politician was similarly jeopardized by impulsiveattacks against the sitting government, and while he had a series ofstunning military victories later in life as the admiral of severalSouth American navies, each was followed by political wrangling anddisappointment.

Christopher Lloyd's popular biography (first published in 1947) is asbrisk and engaging as the novels that Cochrane inspired. It is awell-balanced portrayal of a man who, despite his heroism, invention(he proposed poison gas as a weapon a full hundred years before itsusage), and idealistic commitment to liberal causes, was never giventhe opportunity to achieve his true genius. --John Longenbaugh ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

A true Adventure Story.

Lord Cochrane started his legendary naval career in the British navy as a fourteen-year-old midshipman.He possessed a natural talent for seamanship and rose to the rank of Captain. In war he was particularly successful displaying daring tactics and brazen courage. His career progressed in spite of his brashness that offended the higher ranks of
the British navy.He took on a life long crusade against the old boy cronyism that harmed that country's naval effectiveness.Lord Cochran carried the idea of reforming the Navy in middle age when he became a Member of Parliament.In later life Britain finally recognized this man of naval genius who at an advanced age was openly encouraging a steam-powered navy.A man that was vastly more at home with sea battler than as a Member of Parliament, Lord Cochran became a Captain for hire to the newly emerging nations Peru, Chile, Brazil, and Greece where he did quite well in all his battles almost always against the odds.
He had a storybook action packed life, a very rewarding book that has been brought back into print.

Naval Tactician, Parliamentarian, Freedom Fighter
Thomas Cochrane, Tenth Earl of Dundonald, was a larger than life Scottish nobleman, adventurer, and ardent libertarian.Christopher Lloyd wrote this biography of Lord Cochrane in 1947, and it is one of six "Heart of Oak Sea Classics."Lloyd depicts Cochrane as a masterful naval tactician whose uncompromising political idealism provides the hubris for classic tragedy.The stark irony of Cochrane's two careers is that his genius in battle derived from his innovation, reconnaissance, and preparation, whereas his consistent failures in politics derived from his headstrong impetuousness.Cockrane's naval victories during the Napoleonic Wars were remarkably heroic, and won him fame and fortune while he was still quite young.His abrasiveness, however, undid all the good, and much, much more.His depth of despair at the hands of his political adversaries is absolutely unimaginable.His arduous rehabilitation involved his enlistment in the revolutionary struggles of Chile, Peru, Brazil, and Greece.He returned to Britain hesitantly, unsure if he would be arrested and executed.The outcome warms the heart, and vindicates his life struggle.Lloyd's representation of Cochrane is remarkably objective, and nothing is more fascinating than genius and imbecility combined in the same person.It's history; it's a psychological thriller, and a biography you couldn't conceivably make up.

The real stuff
Lord Cochrane won an astonishingly brilliant series of victoriesin three different British ships against the French and Spanish during the Revolution and Napoleonic Wars. The first 80 pages of this biography cover his astounding career in single-ship actions, and the inability of the Admiralty to understand his innovations. The next 55 pages deal with his ignominious Radical parliamentary career and financial fiascos. Another 46 pages cover his attempts to free a series of colonies from their Iberian or Ottoman masters, and how the rebels repeatedly frustrated victory and, of course, didn't pay up. The final 21 pages cover his attempts to restore his honor and his contributions to the deveopment of a recognizably modern navy. The editors say this 1947 book was selected for its congenial style and vignettes of Cochrane, not because it is the last word on the irascible man. This biography is superseded in accuracy by those employing additional family and governmental papers made public since the 1960's and listed in the brief bibliography.

Fans of naval fiction should note that Forester's Hornblower frequently adopts Lord Cochrane's audacious naval exploits, as do many other series' heroes. Forester having appropriated Lord Cochrane's real adventures, Dudley Pope's Lord Ramage series seems to depend more on invented exploits to fill out the same general historical progression. O'Brian's Jack Aubrey also partakes of Cochrane's political ineptness and suffers his finanacial scandal (see especially the early Aubrey novels). While occasionally you see inspiration from Cochrane's later attempts to aid South Americans win their freedom from Spain (Forester, O'Brian, Cornwell), no novelist has taken up Cochrane's inventions (like ship lanterns, tar derivatives, chemical warfare!, and steam warships). This book might slightly disappoint some fiction fans because it lacks details or even a brief description of ALL of Cochrane's remarkable exploits in his Biscay or Mediterranean theaters of operation. But for any fans of Fighting Sail, Lord Cochrane is the inspiring source, and Lloyd's book a well-written introduction.

SUPERB NAVAL/POLITICAL HISTORY
A thoroughly researched and beautifully written treatment of the life ofone of Great Britain's most important heroes from the Age of Fighting Sail. I've devoured everything I can find on the Royal Navy for years -- this isamong the most memorable volumes available!Lord Cochrane was a navalcommander in war (and peace) whose talents almost rivalled the greatNelson's, and unlike Nelson he lived to a ripe old age.In a surprisingly"modern" twist to Cochrane's biography, he was duped into afinancial scandal that led to bad headlines, ugly partisan politics, and anasty court case.His subsequent efforts on the part of Latin Americannations to help them win independence from Spain make him a veritablenautical Simon Bolivar.Author Lloyd brings this amazing man to life withcompelling prose.

Admiral of the Blue, by fermed
Lord Cochrane was, by all accounts, a superior naval officer. He was inventive, bold, imaginative, extremely meticulous in his preparations for action, and capable of great theatrics in the service of victory in battle, in capturing prizes, and in befuddling the enemy. He treated his men honorably at a time when abusing them was the norm and he rewarded them handsomely from the prize revenues he engendered. As a result he was adored by his subordinates and never had trouble recruiting personnel to serve under him.

He was a model which inspired aspects of Jack Aubrey and Hornblower and other fictional characters of the Anglo-French wars. His true life was even more tumultuous than the fiction it spawned, for he became a naval hero in Chile and in Peru, in Brazil, and in Greece as he participated in each of those countries' wars of independence.

When on land, Lord Cochrane was an inept, impetuous, cantankerous politician (he was a member of parliament for 10 years), who had no notion of the art of politics, and therefore was repeatedly demolished by his enemies, which were many. It is amazing that the brilliant and disciplined naval officer and tactician would become a bumbling, disorganized politician, but that is precisely what happened. He was involved in financial scandals, his honors and medals were removed, and his purse squandered and lost. It is likely that this honorable man was never guilty of the charges for which he was convicted (stock fraud), but the truth shall never be known for sure.

He lived a long life (1775 - 1860) and by the time he died at 85 he had managed to (mostly) repair his honor, his finances, and his reputation, more as a result of the political changes around him than as a result of having learned political lessons.

This book by Christopher Lloyd, a professional naval historian, has the scholar's convincing tone and language throughout. It has a fair index and bibliography. The book is highly recommended to the Aubrey-Maturin fans who are forever expanding their collections with ancillary historical volumes that allow for additional enjoyment of the series. ... Read more

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A wealth of colour illustrations and text focus on the extraordinary personality and career of the most flamboyant of the Tudor monarchs, Henry VIII. ... Read more

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In The Structures of History Christopher Lloyd questions whether narration on its own can provide a real understanding of history, and addresses in philosophical and practical terms the fundamental problems of whether it is possible to know and to explain the history of human societies, and if so how these tasks might be approached.The book revolves around an inquiry into the general nature of historical structures, how these have been studied by historians, anthropologists, sociologists and philosophers, and how they relate to events, actions and beliefs. The author draws upon a wide range of reference in the philosophy of history and science, and in the writings of historians and social scientists during the last two centuries. The thrust of his account is against the relativism of such as Rorty, Foucault and Derrida, and for the complex socio-historical realism exemplified in the writings of Geertz, Gellner, Ladurie and Mann.Christopher Lloyd concludes that an objective understanding of the past is not an impossible ambition, and he provides a searching analysis of the framework and methods necessary to its realization. ... Read more

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"The best gardening is experimental as well as ephemeral," Christopher Lloyd writes. Among the great joys of gardening, as this book demonstrates, are changing one's mind, striking out in new directions, and trying something new. In short, Lloyd encourages all gardeners to be adventurous and offers ways to make new and exciting such familiar chores as weeding, taking cuttings, reseeding, and pruning roots and branches.Both the neophyte and the experienced gardener will benefit from Lloyd's advice and inspiration. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

For reading pleasure, not how to.
I picked this book up used somewhere about 5 years ago, with much less gardening experience.I remembered it as a good read; amusing and opinionated.It gave me ideas about things to try, and reduced my fears.I picked it up this summer and reread it, and loved it even more as I've gained gardening perspective.Christopher Lloyd knew an enormous amount about horticulture and gardening; he was also very honest about his plant losses as well as his plant loves.The same goes for his opinions of people, which rival Beverly Nichols for humor. He was an unusually creative gardener, and his ideas have had increasing influence over the past 20 years or so. The book was written in a time when gardeners were not expected to be shopping at Lowes for flats of identical plants, and were expected to have enough imagination to envision plants without lots of photographs.It is, as other reviewers mention, about gardening in Britain, and some of the plant information is not relevant to the US.However I've learned much from this book, finding his stories a spur to trying new ideas, renovating or planning a new garden, and general experimentation the book is my favorite.

An excellent, informative read
Like other Christopher Lloyd books, The Adventurous Gardener is a pleasure to read for any gardener.He has any number of tips for making cuttings, pruning shrubs and trees, foundation planting, color combinations and other subjects fascinating to gardeners.This book is directed to those who garden for pleasure--and both experienced and novice gardeners will learn something fromit.
Negatives:He writes for the British climate which is milder than most of the USA, so gardeners here must take that into account.A good plant guide will help a great deal, to look up plants he mentions (the black and white illustrations aren't particularly useful) and to see whether they'll grow in your area.He also has an enormous yard, seemingly unlimited time, large greenhouses of his own, and people who help him garden.
Nonetheless, this is a wonderful book I've gotten lots of ideas from--and it's always fun to read again.
I can't give it less than give stars; as the previous reviewer said, I can't judge it for not being something it wasn't intended to be.I will judge it by Lloyd's intentions, great ideas and techniques, and the joy I had in reading it.

Essential reading for all serious gardeners
The Adventurous Gardener provides a brilliant gardener's take on any number of practical, as well as aesthetic, judgments. The first 11 chapters concern maintenance and propagation, such as "Unusual Ways with Rose Cuttings," "Maintaining Mature Hedging," and "Some Reactions to Cutting Back" (which covers the results of radical pruning on scores of genuses of shrubs and trees).

The next 8 chapters cover trees and shrubs, Lloyd's experience and opinions of hundreds of species and cultivars, and the best ways, culturally and aesthetically, to use them in the garden. The rest of the book covers a variety of herbaceous plants, design concepts, the theories of Gertrude Jekyll, "Planning a Border," you name it. Of course, the book, at 250 pages, is not comprehensive. For that matter, Lloyd's "The Well-Tempered Garden" is in a sense basically the same book, except that there is very little overlap. Each is a series of essays which stands on its own. (Similarly, the estate of the late Henry Mitchell has 3 such books out, made up of his newspaper gardening columns; but Mitchell's columns are shorter, more about literary style than detail, and his 3 books overlap each other considerably.)

This book's greatest weakness: it only has 18 low-resolution black & white photos. These are in the book's center, and do little to illustrate the text. So in order to follow many of the chapters, which concern specific varieties of, say, crabapple trees, or concern combinations of plants, you will have to have the "A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants" or a similar reference at hand. That said, this keeps the book small and dirt cheap. I suppose I could, for lack of hundreds of glossy color photos, rate the book less than the perfect 5 stars, but I can't see criticizing a book for not being what it is not, especially when it is so good at being what it is. ... Read more

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This work examines in detail the background of the only complete Frank Lloyd Wright interior in Europe, the Kaufmann Office. It includes chapters on: the architect; his client, Edgar Kaufmann; the project; and the latter history of the office. ... Read more

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This work shows the extent to which the shipping of Africans to the Americas continued after the Abolition Act of 1807. ... Read more

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"Explanation in Social History" isolates the problems of explanation, evaluation, method and understanding that have arisen in the study of social history and examines them in relation to the nature of social historical research and writing. It then considers the aims of social history, its relationship with other disciplines, and asks whether it can be a science. ... Read more

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Gathered over the centuries by successive British monarchs, the Royal Collection is extensive and unique. The 7,000 paintings that hang in the royal palaces and residences constitute a visual record of the tastes of patrons from Henry VIII to Queen Victoria. Christopher Lloyd moves away from a traditional chronological account of the growth of the Collection and adopts a more wide-ranging, thematic approach to the pictures. After describing the part played in the Collection's formation by the three great connoisseur sovereigns Charles I, George IV, and Queen Victoria (under the guidance of Prince Albert), he looks at the art from widely different angles. Topics include the effect of the Reformation on painting in England and the importance of the Grand Tour; animal and landscape painting; international relations, diplomacy, and warfare; informal portraits of monarchs and their families; and large-scale ceremonial images. Foreword by HRH The Prince of Wales. ... Read more

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This book is an introductory study of Huysmans' writing, looking at all his major works and relating them to the work of Zola, Flaubert and the Goncourt brothers. Using recently published letters the author reveals new aspects of Huysmans' personal life and shows that textuality and sexuality, writing and living, are inseparable for this author. Huysmans' use of French language and the parallels he drew between literature and the visual arts are discussed. The book ends with analyses of related texts, grouped thematically and covering his treatment of women, the monstrous and the supernatural. ... Read more