Gardening for the Disabled

Repton's business card

An interesting post, as always, from GardenHistoryGirl that examines the work of Humphry (it is spelt without an 'e') Repton who was the first to write about gardening for the disabled.

As the result of a coach crash Repton used a wheelchair for the last two years of his life and was likely the inventor of the raised bed which allowed those so confined to garden.  He even illustrated the concept in his Fragments on the theory and practice of landscape gardening (1818). 

And just for reference, many of Repton's books are available for free as pdfs from those great folk at the Biodiversity Heritage Library (the link is to the Repton page).

Words with a Garden History: Favela

 As always, another interesting post from GardenHistoryGirl... do take a read.

More Photographs

Edward Steichen with delphiniums (c. 1938), Umpawaug House (Redding, Connecticut). Photo by Dana Steichen. Gelatin silver print. Edward Steichen Archive, VII. The Museum of Modern Art Archive

On the subject of garden photography, GardenHistoryGirl has posted about Edward Steichen, who and I qoute 'is best known for his fashion photography - in the 1930s he was chief of photography for Condé Nast publications, which included Vogue and Vanity Fair. But one of the great photographer's lesser known roles was as President of the Delphinium Society of America.  His archives at the Eastman Kodak House contain an entire section known as the Delphinium Papers, devoted to his passion for plant breeding.'

Views of Versailles by Alexandre Benois

King's Walk - really?

Here is a nice post for a Friday from another garden history blog - gardenhistorygirl.  Hope you enjoy her great post Views of Versailles by Alexandre Benois

Garden History is SO Quirky - Love it!

Heres is a blog post from another devotee of garden history.  I just love all the weird, wonderful and interesting things that garden history throws up once you start looking.