Over her long career, Mary Keen has created some of the finest gardens in England. But rather than tell the story of those paradises, this is a diary about everyday watchfulness in her much loved, own back garden and nearby allotment.
Beginning when November leaves are falling and flowers are in retreat, Keen reveals how one’s perspective of time changes in the pleasure of nurturing plants. Time can slide to a standstill as you stop to stare at a flower, or flash to the past when another triggers a memory. Keen’s diary records the ordinary, the ephemeral and the horticulturally useful, in a patchwork of life and tasks, along with little dramas in the village where she lives and meet her family and friends who are an integral part of her gardening community.
By the time Diary of a Keen Gardener revisits November, Keen has not only imparted practical knowledge to the reader but also fostered an understanding of her gardening philosophy and her ongoing pursuit of knowledge in the fields of plants, ecology, and life.
Mary Keen is an internationally renowned designer, writer, and lecturer. A member of the National Trust Gardens Panel for two decades, she has authored six books and writes from the heart rather than to order. She has consistently contributed to regular columns in the Telegraph, Independent, and London Standard, as well as contributing to numerous gardening magazines both within the United Kingdom and abroad. While most of her gardens remain private, her work at Eythrope Gardens at Waddesdon and her personal gardens have garnered significant attention and have been visited by many from all over the world.
Diary of a Keen Gardener (John Murray) Hardcover will be released on the 6th of November, 2025.
