At Frost we’re hopelessly obsessed gardeners, though none of us aspire to an English Country House Garden. We do however most certainly visit, examine, envy and love them.

We love this book too. It is one for the coffee table, but not just for appearances’ sake, it is for dipping into, losing yourself in, finding inspiration, finding calm.

Stroll amongst the images of high yew hedges, the topiary, and traditional planting with oodles of old English roses, the white gardens, the herb gardens… Yes, somehow quintessentially English this book digs deeper and introduces us to the owners, and the stories behind the making of the 25 gardens; the struggles, the obsessions. We learn about the ins and outs of the grand, the personal, the discreet, the private. Its like peeking from the top of a bus into other people’s worlds. The photography covers the gardens throughout the seasons, and somehow captures the nature of the owners as it is reflected in the gardens. I now have a long, long list of places I have to visit this year.

This book is a treat. Keep it with you. Admire its text and images, and visit, visit and cherish the sheer existence of these glorious gardens.

My one disappointment is that Heligan is not included, but then we have followed its rebirth from its early days, so perhaps we don’t need to know more, but maybe in a later issue.

The English Country House Garden by George Plumptre. Photographs by Marcus Harpur pub White Lion Publishing. hb £18.99