ANTIQUEXPLORER MAGAZINES GARDEN ANTIQUES & EXTERIORS

Garden Antiques, Chris Proudlove delves into the history of garden implements and gets his hands dirty.

'It was not one of my finest moments. Out at a weekend car boot sale, I spotted a galvanised vintage watering can, not unlike the ones illustrated in my 1926 Army and Navy mail order catalogue. A snip at a quid, it was mine and once home, I was eager to try it out. Sadly, a split in its base, concealed by the way it was made, meant more water gushed from the bottom than it did from the spout. No matter, it makes a lovely ornament on the patio...'

Antiquexplorer Guide to the best antique garden specialist suppliers
and events in the West of England.

'Those of us living in the 21st century must not underestimate the importance of knots to people living in earlier times. They were used to lash primitive buildings together, to secure sails on ships, even to prevent clothing from coming apart...'

Margaret G. Powling strolls through the grand landscapes of pre Victorian Britain.

'Georgian Britain was a wealthy Britain. This can not be attributed to a single cause but the steady building of the country’s prosperity through foreign trade, relatively stable government, and improved conditions in health and education, if not for all, then for the middle classes and the aristocracy....'

''Often called ‘the golden age of gardening’, the Edwardian period saw the English country garden come into its own, with wealthy owners of large country gardens investing in exquisite structure and planting. Inspired by the Arts & Crafts movement and the work of architects like Edwin Lutyens, the gardens benefited from strong architectural frameworks, softened by exuberant planting,” says Anne Jennings, Head of Horticulture at the Museum of Garden History...'