The history of England's gardens is the history of the nation itself, assays Roderick Floud in this illustrated survey of how an art form became a world-class industry. Focusing on the past four centuries, Floud discusses William and Mary, who brought Dutch bulbs to Britain; William, who lowered his entire garden to better see the river; Queen Anne, who vowed to spend little on her gardens and instead spent millions; and Queen Victoria, who built the most advanced kitchen garden of her era. In this sweeping look at flowers and finance, here too are such legendary figures as Gertrude Jekyll, Vita Sackville-West, and Lancelot "Capability" Brown.