Books
A Legacy in Bloom: Celebrating a Century of Gardens at the Cummer
A Place of Beauty: The Artists and Gardens of the Cornish Colony
Beatrix Farrand: Private Gardens, Public Landscapes
Beatrix Farrand: Garden Artist, Landscape Architect
Ellen Shipman and the American Garden
Everything for the Garden
Gardens of the Arts and Crafts Movement
Gardens of the Arts and Crafts Movement: Reality and Imagination
Gertrude Jekyll: A Vision of Garden and Wood
Gertrude Jekyll and the Country House Garden: From the Archives of Country Life
Gertrude Jekyll at Munstead Wood (revised edition)
Gertrude Jekyll at Munstead Wood: Writing, Horticulture, Photography, Homebuilding
The Gardens of Ellen Biddle Shipman
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Beatrix Farrand: Garden Artist, Landscape Architect (Monacelli Press, March 29, 2022)
Beatrix Farrand, the only female founder of the American Society of Landscape Architects, is one of the most important landscape architects of the early twentieth century. Today the scope of her work and her influence on the profession are widely acknowledged, and her gardens are being studied, restored, and opened to the public. A long-awaited updated edition of the 2009 definitive monograph, Beatrix Farrand: Garden Artist, Landscape Architect chronicles the life and work of one of the most important figures in American landscape architecture. |
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Everything for the Garden (Historic New England, 2019)
Everything for the Garden is for anyone who enjoys gardening at home, visiting historic landscapes, or admiring plants and flowers in art and culture. Colorfully illustrated by material from Historic New England’s extensive collection, the book celebrates the objects and literature that people used to make and enjoy gardens from the mid-nineteenth century to today.
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Gardens of the Arts and Crafts Movement (Timber Press, 2018)
The rich legacy of the Arts and Crafts Movement has been enthusiastically hailed by historians, architects, and designers. Most known for its influence on architecture and art, the movement also played an important role in the garden world by defining the garden as a harmonious component of the home. In Gardens of the Arts and Crafts Movement, Judith B. Tankard surveys the inspirations, characteristics, and development of garden design during the Arts and Crafts Movement. Tankard presents a selection of houses and gardens from the era, with an emphasis on the diversity of designers who helped forge a special approach to garden design. Illustrated with nearly 300 illustrations and photographs and packed with examples from Europe and North America, this is an essential resource for designers and gardeners interested in the era. |
What the critics say: The scholarly and readable text Tankard presents is not to be missed [and] the book is handsomely and generously illustrated. Judith Tankard's immaculate scholarship and enduring passion for the period unites in the elegantly written and well-designed revised edition. . . a deftly presented, well-illustrated and readable volume. Landscape Notes An enjoyable, lavishly illustrated tour of dozens of fabulous gardens . . . [the author] combines an authoritative tone with a real delight in exploring and explaining these wonderful expressions. . . . a perfect introduction to its subject. Lutyens Trust Newsletter A journey through the garden design of this important decorative era. House & Garden For readers choosing gifts for architects, clients, students or interested lay people. Architectural Record The literate authority of Judith Tankard comes through in this enchanting book, reminding us that the ever-alluring Arts and Crafts garden, with its moral imperatives of environmental stewardship and integrated design, is profoundly relevant to our 21st century needs.
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Ellen Shipman and the American Garden (University of Georgia Press/LALH, 2018) Between 1914 and 1950, Ellen Shipman (1869-1950) designed more than 600 gardens, from Long Island’s Gold Coast to the state of Washington. Her secluded, lush formal gardens attracted a clientele that included the Fords, Edisons, Astors, and duPonts. Shipman’s imaginative approach merged elements of the Colonial Revival and Arts and Crafts movements with a unique planting style enlivened by Impressionistic washes of color. Richly illustrated with plans and photographs, the book explores Shipman’s ability to create intimate spaces through dense plantings, evocative water features, and ornament. This updated edition first published in 1996 includes many newly discovered gardens, such as the Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens and Tranquillity Farm, which are featured in a new full-color introduction. |
What the critics say: [Tankard's] book reveals why Shipman's reputation as well as her work needs to be restored. Landscape Architecture Magazine The reader closes this book with a renewed admiration for the gardens of Ellen Shipman. . . whose approach to garden design was identifiably her own. Magnolia To be entertained and inspired by [Shipman’s] life and artistry, this well-written book deserves a careful read. American Gardener Most significant is the new introduction featuring contemporary color photographs of surviving garden along with major insights into the revival of Shipman’s reputation, renewed interest in her gardens, and scholarship devoted to her career. Choice This book outlines her major works, richly illustrated with plans and photographs. Sophisticated Living Tankard describes Shipman’s remarkable life as a pioneering female landscape architect and her design achievements, including the landscape at Tregaron Estate. We are delighted that Tregaron is featured in the new book. Tregaron Conservancy Tankard’s previous work, The Gardens of Ellen Biddle Shipman, was not only the first book to present Shipman’s legacy, but brought attention to the neglected history of women in American landscape architecture. Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens | |
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Co-author with Martin Wood, Gertrude Jekyll at Munstead Wood (Pimpernel Press, 2015). Gertrude Jekyll was probably the most influential garden designer of the early twentieth century. Taking as a basis Jekyll’s own photographs, scrapbooks and notebooks, the authors describe not only the building and development of the house and garden at Munstead Wood, but also Jekyll’s skills in the arts and as a businesswoman, and her collaboration with architects, most notably Edwin Lutyens. This Pimpernel Garden Classic is a revised edition of a book first published in 1996 and includes an updated text and many new photographs.
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What the critics say: A poetic portrayal that strips back the formidability of Gertrude Jekyll, exposing her warm, yet vulnerable personality. Gardens Illustrated The authors of this book have dexterously explored (Jekyll’s) many interests and varied talents to give an intriguing insight into the world of this indomitable gardener, artist and craftswoman. This delicious volume little volume by two leading Gertrude Jekyll experts explains the processes and the very human side of a garden designer whose legacy endures. An absorbing and readable book, a genuine classic. This is a book that enriches our understanding of an extraordinary gardening writer, placing her achievements in the context of a fast-changing world.
An in-depth reading will bring color to the gray days ahead this winter. An excellent book, interesting, informative and enjoyable to read. A compelling and intimate portrait. . . there is much to savor in this eminently readable account of the talented and paradoxical Jekyll | |
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Gertrude Jekyll and the Country House Garden: From the Archives of Country Life (Aurum Press/Rizzoli, 2011) Gertrude Jekyll was one of the most important garden designers of the twentieth century. A prolific writer and a hugely influential plantswoman, her circle of friends included some of the most distinguished architects, horticulturists, artists, and writers of the time. This new volume in the Country Life Archives series celebrates Jekyll's gardens and her legendary theories on color, planting, and design with a selection of her most famous collaborations with Sir Edwin Lutyens and other important architects. The text is illustrated with over 150 superb photographs that capture the enduring magic of Jekyll's creative genius. |
What the critics say: A splendid book [and] the last word on Gertrude Jekyll's gardens for years to come. Country Life A wonderfully inclusive portrait--in a book for scholars and students alike, Miss J could have hoped for no better advocate. Gardens Illustrated
Read full review One to get your hands on . . . packed with rarely seen images of her work. The Guardian An unrivalled celebration of her work. Hatchards offers a rare survey of Jekyll and Lutyens's collaboration from the gardener's point of view. a marvellous book. . . engagingly written and beautifully illustrated. House & Garden a wondrous work . . . a treasure trove of text and images. Frommer Luxury Travel This book, like Jekyll, elevates gardening to a fine art. Design New England An in-depth look at Jekyll's accomplishments . . . Tankard's graceful prose brings [Jekyll] to life. An easy book to read, full of interesting anecdotes, quotes and other details. The Professional Gardener There have been several books on Jekyll over the years but this is certainly the most attractive yet. a beautiful book [it] belong in every public library and private space where people go to seek beauty Leaflet Judith Tankard's words and the enduring power of Jekyll's designs make this a must for those with a passion for garden history National Trust Magazine | |
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Beatrix Farrand: Private Gardens, Public Landscapes Long recognized as one of America's most celebrated landscapearchitects, Beatrix Farrand was renowned for her private estate gardens as well as her work as a landscape consultant for prestigious private universities and colleges. This book is a fresh presentation of her remarkable career and includes a number of landscapes that have recently been restored. A visually appealing book, it has over 200 illustrations by well-known photographers. This book has been named a 2010 Honor Book by Historic New England. Read the press release |
What the critics say: [Tankard's] research is exhaustive and her writing is clear and illuminating. . . . She has thoroughly traced Farrand's career. SiteLinesRead full review (pages 19-22) This book brings to life the gardens of a nascent and grand American landscape style . . . Farrand’s meticulous plans [provide] a trove of inspiration. For English majors, this book does double duty as a companion to [Edith Wharton’s] novels. The New York Times Book Review [An] authoritative biography . . . the writing is well researched [and] refreshingly spare. [This book] is thoughtfully presented by a scholar who is both rigorous and intuitive . . . and it’s beautiful. Old-House Interiors This book is absolutely stunning . . . and I am proud to see her incredible work in Maine documented. Susan M. Collins, US Senator, Maine [Farrand] gets her due in this lovely coffee-table book filled with her meticulous plans, archival photographs and lovely illustrations. Chicago Tribune With engaging prose and luscious images, Tankard places Farrand in the context of her clients and contemporaries. Hortus A well-researched, well-photographed and beautifully produced volume The New York Botanical Garden This well written and deeply researched book . . . will surely remain the standard work on Beatrix Farrand for years to come. Gardens Illustrated
You certainly won’t be disappointed with the new book by Judith Tankard. It’s a welcome addition to the genre, written in an easy to read style, and it covers all the important facts and facets in the life of a most fascinating woman. Garden Design Online The practice of landscape gardening was new territory for women at the beginning of the 20th century. Country Life Judith Tankard brings a deep knowledge of time, place, and personality to this new book. Magnolia Judith Tankard’s [book] is the best and the first to do complete justice to [Farrand’s] professional achievements. . . .[she] has done a superb research job [and] gives excellent critical assessments of Farrand’s design achievements as well as an outline of her life and career. Eden This is truly a remarkable book which defines Beatrix Farrand as a superb designer, a woman of exceptional character, and a person of a very private nature. Tankard manages to present [Farrand] as a vibrant human being, which is the best that can be said about any biographical undertaking. Diane Kostial McGuire, author What a magnificent tribute to [Farrand’s] life and work. Earle Shettleworth, Maine Historical Preservation Commission |
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A Legacy in Bloom: Celebrating a Century of Gardens at the Cummer, photographs by Mick Hales (Cummer Museum, 2008) It tells the stories of the Cummer family and the gardens they cultivated in Jacksonville, Florida. The gardens represent a plumb line through the history of American landscape design, with direct ties to four leading designers and firms: Michigan-based Ossian Simonds, Philadelphia’s Thomas Meehan & Sons, Ellen Biddle Shipman of New York, and the renowned Olmsted firm of Massachusetts. This book was named Outstanding Book of 2008 by the Southeast Chapter of the Art Libraries Society of North America. It also received an award from the Jacksonville Historic Preservation Commission. Read the press release
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Gardens of the Arts and Crafts Movement: Reality and Imagination (Abrams, 2004) Gardens of the Arts and Crafts Movement documents the history of the movement’s diverse attitudes toward landscape architecture for the first time. The author brings a fresh perspective and a wealth of original research to her subject, one of the most creative periods in the history of modern design. Richly illustrated with period watercolors and drawings, as well as new photographs and garden plans made especially for this publication, this book promises to be an important resource for art and design historians, and a delight to all lovers of gardens. |
What the critics say: Between generous quantities of photographs and period drawings illustrating scores of examples, the author weaves in the experience of the Arts-and-Crafts aesthetic with examples of wallpaper designs, textiles, and evocative watercolours that faithfully convey the period’s horticultural obsessions. The book will engage all those interested in the making of beautiful gardens, but especially those with a particular enthusiasm for . . . the Arts and Crafts Movement. The Garden Judith B. Tankard . . . has written the most comprehensive study to date of Arts and Crafts gardens. It is such a valuable addition to garden design literature. Her selection of period watercolors and drawings, plans and new photography lays a solid foundation for an enlightening look at the . . . house and garden championed by Arts and Crafts notables such as Sir Edwin Lutyens. Veranda Gardens of the Arts and Crafts Movement gives a vivid account of the range of Arts and Crafts gardens, [but] what the book does best is [to] present the gardens in the context of art, architecture and furniture. Garden Design This important book is impressive and fascinating. House & Garden This is a superb read and an extremely well-designed and illustrated book. The Telegraph Tankard’s text is a model of scholarship, insight, and efficiency. The insightful text, well-chosen images, and . . . the book’s overall design will engage and inspire. Landscape Architecture This book will be attractive to all garden lovers. Its scholarly depth, extensive notes and bibliography ensure it will be an essential text for all who study this period of design. Garden History |
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Co-author with Alma Gilbert, A Place of Beauty: The Artists and Gardens of the Cornish Colony (Ten Speed Press, 2000) At the beginning of the twentieth century, the artists’ colony in Cornish, New Hampshire, was considered one of the most beautifully landscaped villages in America. The lush, rolling hills and fairy-tale scenery drew some of the nation’s most gifted artists, including sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens, illustrator Maxfield Parrish, and architect Charles Platt. These artists, inspired by the colony’s pastoral beauty, quickly became renowned as much for the idyllic gardens created as for their works of art. A Place of Beauty was a winner of a Quill and Trowel Award from the Garden Writers of America. |
What the critics say: Judith Tankard examines in detail a dozen Cornish gardens, some modest, some grand, but each perfectly suited to the larger landscape. Her pithy discussions are bolstered by a wealth of illustrative material, historical photographs, and many reproductions of paintings, etchings, and planting plans. Hortus This book . . . chronicles the gardens, gardeners, and art of this golden place and period. This is a book filled with ideas from another century that are still workable today, because of the talent of the garden makers. Charleston [West Virginia] Gazette The numerous photos and reproduction of paintings that fill the book show a world filled with an astonishing beauty rarely seen in our modern world. Amazon.com |
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Co-author with Martin Wood, Gertrude Jekyll at Munstead Wood: Writing, Horticulture, Photography, Homebuilding. Foreword by Graham Stuart Thomas (Sutton/Sagapress, 1996) This book presents insight into the life of the great English gardener Gertrude Jekyll and her home at Munstead Wood. As well as describing the building and development of the house and garden, the authors look at the arts she practiced while at the house. Her daily routine, the running of the household, and her relationships with household and garden staff is gained through the eyes of those who worked under her direction. Jekyll’s important work as a nurserywoman and market gardener, her aptitude for business, and the promotion of gardening through her writing is also described. |
What the critics say: A detailed look at the previously unexplored artistic life and business acumen of one of the most influential garden designers of this century. A must for understanding the woman, her work, and her time. American Gardener The authors’ enthusiasm for their subject is evident, and the book is invaluable not only as a study of a remarkable individual, but also as a description of a contemporary way of life. Country Life The authors have drawn together a range of sources to describe the many interests and activities which filled Miss Jekyll’s life at Munstead Wood. . . the text is Jekyllian in tone, often paraphrasing her writings to give a well-rounded picture. The Garden Well illustrated, highly detailed, and meticulously researched, this book is likely to prove indispensible to Jekyll fans. The Countryman This book is a very readable, interesting account of a fascinating woman who undoubtedly altered the way the Western world gardens. Traditional Gardening Gertrude Jekyll at Munstead Wood is a book for any admirer of this legendary figure [and] provides intriguing insight into her life. Gardens Illustrated |
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The Gardens of Ellen Biddle Shipman. Introduction by Leslie Rose Close. (Sagapress/Abrams/Library of American Landscape History, 1996) The Gardens of Ellen Biddle Shipman tells the story of a remarkable woman who contributed much to the development of landscape design in America. Hailed as the “dean of American women landscape architects,” Ellen Shipman designed over 600 gardens between 1914 and 1946. Her clients included the Fords, Astors, du Ponts, and other captains of industry and patrons of the arts. The book describes Shipman’s remarkable life, her years in the artists’ colony in Cornish, New Hampshire, and her long association with architect Charles Platt. The book explains Shipman’s artistic approach to the design and planting of a garden, which was completely American in spirit and impact. The Gardens of Ellen Biddle Shipman was a recipient of the American Horticultural Society’s 1998 book award. |
What the critics say: The text is fascinating, historic, and poignant. New York Times Tankard provides thorough and illuminating descriptions of Shipman’s gardens . . . it is a handsome book, valuable not only to historians and garden designers, but also to every garden maker. Tankard’s text is concise and engaging. Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians |
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Co-author with Michael Van Valkenburgh, Gertrude Jekyll: A Vision of Garden and Wood. Foreword by Jane Brown (Abrams/Sagapress, 1988) A series of extraordinary photographs taken by the great English landscape designer Gertrude Jekyll presents a unique look at her own garden at Munstead Wood. In these beautiful pictures, reproduced for the first time in newly made prints from her private albums, Jekyll’s masterpiece is revealed as she saw it. The text provides an enlightening discussion of her design ideas, which have never been fully explored before. The book is published in conjunction with a major exhibition of Gertrude Jekyll’s photographs that traveled to galleries and museums in the United States and Britain. The book was selected by Publisher’s Weekly as an Editor’s Choice for 1989. |
What the critics say: This book is a gem of production. World of Interiors The photographs are beautifully produced and the book handsome and well-researched. [An] elegant and appealing volume. The New Yorker With its glistening gray dust jacket punctuated by stunning black-and-white photographs, this volume is a winner on looks alone. Colonial Homes [The book] is a treat . . . a lovely compilation from the 2,100 photographs of [Jekyll’s] own garden. |
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Other Publications |
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"Designing Paradise: Women Landscape Architects and the American Country House Garden," in The Artist's Garden: American Impressionism and the Garden Movement, ed. Anna O'Marley (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2014) This lavishly illustrated volume, based on an exhibition at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, tells the stories of American art and garden-making during the 1890s and early 1900s. |
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“William Robinson and the Art of the Book,” in Hortus Revisited: A Twenty-first Birthday Anthology, ed. David Wheeler (Frances Lincoln, 2008) An anthology of original articles from Hortus,the renowned quarterly publication founded by David Wheeler in 1987 and illustrated by Simon Dorrell and other artists. “For the past two decades Hortus has been a voice of wide-ranging intelligent cultural debate on all matters to do with gardens and gardening.” Monty Don |
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“Ellen Biddle Shipman’s Colonial Revival Garden Style,” in Re-Creating the American Past: Essays on the Colonial Revival, ed. Richard Guy Wilson, Shaun Eyring, Kenny Marotta (University of Virginia Press, 2006) This comprehensive and handsome volume recovers the origins, characteristics, diversity, and significance of the Colonial Revival, situating it within the broader history of American design, culture, and society.
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“Gardening with Louise,” in My Mother’s Garden: A Collection about Love, Flowers, and Family. Introduction by Penelope Hobhouse (Chamberlain/Penguin, 2005) “My mother was a pistol. Everyone who knew Louise considered her a character. She always spoke her mind, especially in later years when her tongue rolled forth with a flow of admonishments about people not doing things ‘right.’” Other contributors include Barbara Kingsolver, Dominique Browning, Diane Ackermann, and Jamaica Kincaid.
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“Introduction,” English Pleasure Gardens by Rose Standish Nichols (David R. Godine, 2003) When English Pleasure Gardens was first published a century ago, it was instantly acclaimed as a resource for gardeners, tourists, and history lovers alike. This new edition will introduce a new generation to the pageantry of Britain’s garden heritage and to the redoubtable Rose Standish Nichols, who hailed from Boston’s Beacon Hill, was among our earliest professional garden designers, and was nationally recognized for her expertise with native plants and residential garden design. Nichols brings to her subject a deep knowledge of garden history and an incisive critical eye that still resonates today. Visit the Nichols House Museum on Mount Vernon Street in Boston. |
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Contributor, Encyclopedia of Gardens: History and Design, ed. Candice Shoemaker (Routledge/Chicago Botanic Garden, 2001) This three-volume resource provides information on garden history and design in the United States and around the world, ranging from Joseph Addison to Zen gardens. It is illustrated with hundreds of photographs, plans, and drawings. |
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Contributor, Pioneers of American Landscape Design, ed. Charles Birnbaum and Robin Karson (McGraw-Hill, 2000) In this book, the reader is introduced to the geniuses and more ordinary people who helped shape American landscapes and public spaces, thereby establishing the United States as a leader in landscape design, planning, and conservation. Many renowned landscape historians and educators helped compile biographies of 160 key people. A second volume is planned for publication in 2010. |
If you would like an autographed copy of any of these books, contact me at books@judithtankard.com
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