beth chatto: a life with plants

The authorized biography of world-renowned plantswoman Beth Chatto (1923-2018)

Beth Chatto was the inspiration behind the ＂right plant, right place＂ ethos that lies at the heart of modern gardening. She also wrote some of the best-loved gardening books of the 20th century, among them The Dry Garden, The Damp Garden, and Beth Chatto’s Gravel Garden.

Some years before her death in May 2018, aged 94, Beth authorized Catherine Horwood to write her biography, with exclusive access to her archive. It also includes extracts from Beth’s notebooks and diaries, never previously published, bringing Beth’s own distinctive and much-loved voice into the book. Most of the photographs from Beth’s personal archives, have also never been seen in print before.

For Beth’s legions of fans, here is the personal story behind her beliefs and the struggles and determination that brought her success.

Catherine Horwood is a social historian with a passion for plants and gardens. Her other books include Women and Their Gardens: A History from the Elizabethan Era to Today (Ball Publishing, Chicago), Rose (Reaktion, 2018), Potted History (Pimpernel Press, 2020) and Keeping Up Appearances: Fashion and Class Between the Wars (Sutton, 2005). She has also written for newspapers and magazines including The Times, Daily Mail, Gardens Illustrated and The English Garden. Her blog, www.gardeningwomen.com, has a worldwide following.