An English Garden in ProvenceAt a young age Natasha Spender came into contact with the renowned gardens of such literary figures as Virginia and Leonard Woolf, Harold Nicolson, Vita Sackville-West, and Michael Astor. In the 1960s she and her husband, the poet Sir Stephen Spender, acquired the ruins of a farmhouse enclosed in the dramatic skyline of the Alpilles. After years of hard work the result was a unique garden. Lady Spender’s gardening friendships with the locals and neighbors, the regular and inspiring visits of friends such as John Bayley and Iris Murdoch, Francis Bacon, and the Annans, her explorations of the surrounding landscape, and passages from Stephen Spender’s unpublished journals, all contribute to this enchanting book. It is both a record of the creation of a beautiful garden in the arid hills of Provence, and a treasure trove for devoted gardeners. |
Common terms and phrases
Alpilles already appeared apricot arrived beauty become bloom border brought changes character cherry climate colours contrast corner cultivated cypresses early edge England English enjoy entirely feeling field flowers foliage friends fruit further garden give green Grey ground growing hand happy harvest hedge huge ideas imagination iris land landscape late later leading leaves less light Lilac Walk limestone living looking maquis mind mistral morning natural neighbours olive olive orchard one's original pale passed path pink plants pleasure Provence recently region remained rocks rose ruin Saint-Jérôme season seemed seen sense shade shrubs side sometimes soon spring standing Stephen steps stone style success summer surrounded Tarascon terrace thought trees turned valley varieties village Walk wall whole wild wind winter