Beatrix Potter's Gardening Life The plants and places that inspired the classic children’s tales by Marta McDowell
is a dreaming and suggestive book by Timber Press
perfect also as Christmas's Gift, if you know someone in love for nature, open air, animals, flowers, plants or just, the beautiful and tender world.
Marta McDowell is splendid in the tale of the existence of Beatrix Potter, explaining with great fruibility the way Beatrix intended and lived, for most of her existence, garden's life passing through the stories of her beloved children's books.
It is one of the best illustrated books that I have seen in years, and relaxing, let me add this.
In the first part, the story of mrs.Potter.
Born in a wealthy family, little Beatrix developed immediately a profound love for flowers and plants. She really enjoyed to play with lizards, hedgehogs and other little wild animals.
With her family, from London, spent some vacation time in wonderful locations. Places where Beatrix developed her passion for gardening have been South Kensington, Dalguise, and Camfield Place.
Vacations for the Potters were an adventures because they didn't forget anyone or....any pets: yes, pets included were brought with them in vacation.
Beatrix, drawings apart, a passion she started to have since little, like also the one for the gardening in all its expressions, will be introduced to photography by her father who presented her a camera once a teenager.
Attracted by every possible creature she could study, she also fell in love for fungi.
At 30 years still unmarried Beatrix wanted to do something. Her late governess, Annie Carter, now married, had three children. Beatrix enjoyed to write them long letters, inventig stories, sending drawings and in one of these letters she sent the first story of four rabbits: one of them was Peter. When Annie read this story, she talked with Beatrix. It was so good! She had to try to publish it! Putting that beautiful idea in a real childrens' book!
After several rejections Warne published it and it was an immediate success.
Norman Warne became an affectionate friend of Beatrix and once he also asked her her hands, although the family refused. He died not too distantly, because of a bad leukemia.
After several months from the departure of Norman, with the royalties of her books, Beatrix bought Hill Top Farm where she hoped to spend her existence with the man she loved.
She also would have brought in her books the life spent in this cottage. She enjoyed gardening, although her garden wasn't formal but a mixture of plants, flowers.
Althought Beatrix had bought the house, and she worked gardening most of her time there, she lived, because of her status of unmarried daughter, with her parents in London.
Her work as writer and illustrator meant to her in particular emancipation from parents and family.
After some time Beatrix knew a local solicitor, William Heelis. He was a beautiful man, all the opposite of Beatrix. Beatrix was short, didn't love to do any exercise, while William was tall, athletic, and loved fishing, playing at golf and much more.
Beatrix when married William was also more old than him: she was 47, the husband just 41.
In the book you also find a section dedicated to the seasons and how Beatrix spent them immersed in a world so colored. The final section is a traveler's guide, for rediscovering places so beloved by Potter for a potential visit.
It is an unforgettable book,perfect for staying in the bookshelf close to other gardening books or close to books of poems and good stories with a happy end.
Highly recommended for sure!
Anna Maria Polidori
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