Great things happen in gardens. No one can doubt the importance of the garden in Roald Dahl`s life as it was here where he worked, and here that he created James and the Giant Peach. And where would Jane Austen have been if she had never seen a `walk`, an ornamental lake, or a wilderness?

Gardens hold a special place in many author`s lives. For Beatrix Potter, Hill Top house was made possible by the new found freedom and wealth that a literary career can bring; for Sir Walter Scott, laying out his garden at Abbotsford was a way of distracting himself from mounting debts.

In this book of 18 gardens and 20 writers, the author examines how the poet, writer, novelist derived a creative spirit from their private garden, how they tended and enjoyed their gardens, and how they managed their outdoor space.