The Southern Garden History Society has been reviewing books about historic gardens and garden restoration since 1984 in its quarterly publication, Magnolia. Members have come to rely on our reviews for learning about books to add to their own libraries or to give as gifts.
We hope you enjoy browsing reviews of new books as we post them online. The reviews from the last three years are listed below in alphabetical order by author’s names. Links are provided to the reviews or mentions in In Print in Magnolia.
Abe, Naoko:  The Sakura Obsession The Incredible Story of the Plant Hunter Who Saved Japan’s Cherry Blossoms
In Print: Spring 2020
Adams, Denise Wiles and Burchfield, Laura: American Home Landscapes: A Design Guide to Creating Period Styles
In Print: Spring 2014
Bennett, Thomas Peter:  Florida Explored: The Philadelphia Connection in Bartram’s Tracks
Beveridge, Charles E.; Meier, Lauren and Mills, Irene, editors: Frederick Law Olmsted: Plans and Views of Public Parks
In Print: Spring 2015
Brousse, Roxanne: The Public-Spirited Beatrix Farrand of Mount Desert Island
In Print: Fall-Winter 2016-2017
Buhler, Leslie L., editor: Tudor Place: America’s Story Lives Here
Review: Winter-Spring 2017
Cushing, Elizabeth Hope: Arthur A. Shurcliff: Design, Preservation, and the Creation of the Colonial Williamsburg Landscape
Review: Winter 2015
Darke, Rick and Tallamy, Douglas: The Living Landscape: Designing for Beauty and Biodiversity in the Home Garden
In Print: Summer 2014
Davey, Charles and McMichael, Carol: Longue Vue House and Gardens: The Architecture, Interiors, and Gardens of New Orleans’ Most Celebrated Estate
Review: Fall 2015
Driggers, Bonnie S., editor: American Botanical Paintings: Native Plants of the Mid Atlantic
In Print: Spring 2014
Fraser, Susan M. and Sellers, Vanessa Bezemer, editors: FLORA ILLUSTRATA: Great Works from the LuEsther T. Mertz Library of The New York Botanical Garden
In Print: Fall 2014
Grant, Greg and Welch, William: The Rose Rustlers
Review: Summer-Fall 2017
Ives, Colta: Public Parks, Private Gardens: Paris to Provence
Review: Summer 2018
Jordan, Jennifer A: Edible Memory: the Lure of Heirloom Tomatoes and Other Forgotten Foods
In Print: Spring 2015
Johnson, Victoria: American Eden: David Hosack, Botany, and Medicine in the Garden of the Early Republic
In Print: Summer 2018
Karson, Robin; Brown, Jane Roy; Allabeck, Sarah, editors: Warren H. Manning: Landscape Architect and
Environmental Planner
Review: Winter-Spring 2017-2018
Kibler, James Everett Jr.: Taking Root: The Nature Writing of William and Adam Summer of Pomaria
Review: Spring-Summer 2017
Laird, Mark: A Natural History of English Gardening, 1650-1800
Review: Summer 2015
LeHoullier, Craig: Epic Tomatoes: How to Select and Grow the Best Varieties of all Time
Notable Book: Spring 2015
Major, Judith K.: Mariana Griswold Van Rensselaer: A Landscape Critic in the Gilded Age
Review: Winter 2014
Marley, Anna O., editor: The Artist’s Garden: American Impressionism and the Garden Movement
In Print: Fall 2014
McDowell, Marta: Beatrix Potter’s Gardening Life: The Plants and Places That Inspired the Classic Children’s Tales
In Print: Spring 2014
Parshall, Linda B.: Letters of a Dead Man, Prince Hermann von Pückler-Muskau
In Print: Fall-Winter 2016-17
Reinberger, Mark and Elizabeth McLean: The Philadelphia Country House: Architecture and Landscape in Colonial America
In print: Fall 2015
Robinson, Barbara Paul: Rosemary Verey: The Life and Lessons of a Legendary Gardener
In Print: Fall 2013
Sales, John:  Shades of Green: My Life As The National Trust’s Head of Gardens, Negotiating change – care, repair, renewal
In Print: Spring 2019
Schoelwer, Susan P., editor: The General in the Garden: George Washington’s landscape at Mount Vernon
In Print: Spring 2015
Seebohm, Caroline (author) and Curtice Taylor (photographer): Rescuing Eden: Preserving America’s Historic Gardens
In Print: Fall 2015
St. Clair, Hugh:  A Lesson in Art & Life: The Colourful World of Cedric Morris & Arthur Lett-Haines
In Print:  Spring 2020
Tankard, Judith B.:  Ellen Shipman and the American Garden  | Revised edition of the LALH publication by University of Georgia Press
In Print: Fall/Winter 2018-19
Tankard, Judith B.:  Gardens of the Arts & Crafts Movement 
In Print: Fall/Winter 2018-19
Van Beck, Sara L.: Daffodils in American Gardens, 1733-1940
In Print: Fall 2014