Ghosts and Gardeners

Above: Alastair Sawday’s British Hotels & Inns

Above: A Gardener’s Life

Above: Africa to the Amazon: The Art and Travels of Kim Brooks

Above: Stately Ghosts

From cosy weekends away in England and travelling in the Amazon, to haunted homes and garden life, Geraldine Blount offers up an eclectic mix of reads

Alastair Sawday’s British Hotels & Inns
ALASTAIR Sawday’s guides specialise in unusual but stylish and comfortable places to stay that often have environmentally friendly policies. This book features hotels, inns and some B&Bs that all have an interesting individuality about them like The Sun Inn at Dedham. For a romantic night away, the homely log fires, four poster beds and sumptuous fresh locally sourced food make it ideal. Whereas the stylish Pier at Harwich is grander and reminiscent of a Venetian Palace. This hotel has a more luxurious contemporary feel, while retaining much of its charming original architecture and it overlooks the historic quayside. For those wishing to venture further afield the book covers the whole of the British Isles and is full of gorgeous places to stay.

British Hotels & Inns
Edited by Tom Bell
Published by Alastair Sawday Publishing
ISBN: 9781901970944
Priced £14.99
Available from Life Books

A Gardener’s Life
HATFIELD House was built in the early 17th century by Robert Cecil whose descendent, also named Robert, the 5th Marquess of Salisbury, inherited the house and lands in 1972. The gardens at that time were still in the dishevelled state that they had become during the war and it was his wife, a keen gardener who restored this impressive historic garden to its former glory.
This book is an account of the life and work of the Marchioness of Salisbury who, now in her 80s, is still creating beautiful gardens including one at Highgrove for the Prince of Wales. There are plenty of lovely photographs of the many gardens she has designed, many interesting stories and anecdotes and insights into her inspiration when creating these amazing gardens. This is an inspiring book that would make a wonderful present for garden lovers.

A Gardener’s Life
By the Dowager Marchioness of Salisbury
Published by Frances Lincoln Ltd
ISBN: 9780711226494
Priced £35
Available from Life Books

Africa to the Amazon: The Art and Travels of Kim Brooks
KIM Brooks, from St Albans, uses her very considerable skill as an internationally renowned wildlife artist to help raise funds for the Rainforest Foundation through the sales of her paintings. As a committed conservationist her work reflects her love of the wild animals and birds that she has encountered on her extensive travels throughout Africa and South America. This lovely book, compiled by her husband Bill, includes information about the animals and many interesting stories and several photographs about their adventures and travels. The book is akin to a luxurious travel guide and the paintings of exotic birds are particularly wonderful and would make an excellent Valentine’s gift for wild animal lovers.

Africa to the Amazon
By Bill Brooks
Published by BKB Fine Arts and Publishers
ISBN: not available
Priced £35
Available from the Book Castle, Dunstable and larger branches of Waterstones

Stately Ghosts
THIS is an interesting book of ghostly stories assembled by the Historic Houses Association as many owners of these old houses claim to share their homes with a variety of supernatural beings or ghosts. They come in many forms, such as misty white ladies who glide through walls. Some claim that mischievous children in Elizabethan costume scamper up and down the stairs at night, waking up their co-inhabitants and others claim that their supernatural guests create havoc but are never seen. Often they can be traced back to untimely or violent deaths in the past, or there are previous owners who simply keep an interest in their former home.
Edward Bulwer-Lytton, who transformed Knebworth House into a Gothic fantasy, died in 1873 but, according to the present owners, still makes his presence felt as he occasionally makes checks around the house.

Stately Ghosts
Compiled by the Historic Houses Association
Published by Visit Britain Publishing
ISBN: 9780709584247
Priced £9.99
Available from Life Books

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