V. Sackville-West

When the great statesman Lord Slane dies, everyone assumes his dutiful wife will slowly fade away, the paying guest of each of her six children. But Lady Slane surprises everyone by escaping to a rented house in Hampstead where she revels in her new freedom, revives youthful ambitions and gathers some very unsuitable companions.

Irreverent, entertaining and insightful, this is a tale of the unexpected joys of growing older.

Sebastian is nineteen and heir to a large country estate. Although his sense of tradition binds him to his inheritance he dislikes the social circus he is part of. Two people, Lady Roehampton ansd Leonard Anquetil, a polar explorer, lead Sebastian and his sister to question their destiny.

More practical gardening advice, along with lyrical descriptions of plants and gardens.

A collection of gardening articles, first published in the Observer over fifty years ago.