Book 122: Hedge Britannia by Hugh Barker
Book 122: Hedge Britannia: A curious history of a British obsession.
Author: Hugh Barker, 2012.
Genre: Non-fiction. Natural History. Social History. Gardening and Farming.
Other Details: Hardback. 327 pages.
Hedge enthusiast Hugh Barker journeyed across Britain to explore its remarkable variety of gardens and hedgerows. He discovered how hedges are among our most ancient monuments, met hedge laying champions and topiary fanatics, and saw the lengths to which some people will go just to annoy the neighbours. Hugh explains how the garden hedge became associated with paradise, why the British army planted a barrier hedge hundreds of miles long in India, and how the notorious enclosures during the Industrial Revolution turned the country upside-down. Informative, revealing and anecdotal, it's a sweeping history of Britain as you've never seen it before. -synopsis from UK publisher's website.
I found this a highly engaging account of the role played by hedges in the landscape of Britain. Barker covers all kinds of subjects including the history of hedges in the countryside, their place in formal gardens as well as in the gardens of normal folk; their symbolism and the various threats they face. The book has a number of black & white photographs and drawings accompanying the text as well as sections of colour plates.
Woods and trees and the relationship with wildlife and conservation are all subjects close to my heart and I enjoyed this very much.
Hedge Britannia - Hugh Barker's Blog - random thoughts on the story of British hedges.