Penelope Lively
Life in the Garden by Penelope Lively is an atypical book on gardening. Lively eschews delving into the how-to of gardening. Instead, her exposé of the garden is part memoir, part history, part social commentary, and part personal musings on life. Lively explores gardening in its many aspects. Included is a personal journey into her engagement with gardens, beginning with her childhood in Cairo followed by the various locations where she lived in England.
Lively interprets artistic renditions of gardens and discusses the role they play in literature and how they serve the narrative either by creating atmosphere or providing insight into a character. She cites examples in literature to demonstrate her point and plunges into the gardening exploits of literary and artistic figures. She is able to recognize writers who know first-hand about gardens and those who don’t. She critiques gardening manuals and garden designers, re-counting how gardening and garden fashions have evolved over time. Her exploration of gardens as indicators of social standing was eye-opening. Peppered throughout are descriptions of memorable gardens laced with splashes of colorful flowers. Lively elaborates on the physical and psychological benefits of gardening and the impact gardening has on our concept of time. Asserting the importance of green space in our lives, she argues gardens provide a much-needed refuge from the hustle and bustle of daily existence.
Lively sprinkles English and Latin names of flowers and shrubs, describing their appearances and vibrant colors. As an experienced and passionate gardener, she demonstrates an almost encyclopedic knowledge of gardening, inserting her knowledge with smatterings do’s and don’ts. She freely shares her garden likes and dislikes, her successes and failures. She seamlessly zips in and out of describing actual gardens and fictional gardens in a voice that is engaging, witty, entertaining, and conversational.
A glorious celebration of the garden and the therapeutic role it plays in body and soul. Lively’s exuberance for gardening sings on every page.