The Old House at Forest Hall was almost derelict; the garden beneath the blackberry could only be guessed at. Besides, Susan Irvine already had a renowned garden, and she and Bill had no intention of shifting to Tasmania. So of course they bought it.
'The Garden At Forest Hall' is the story of a special place and special island. Susan Irvine's memoir is as personal and engrossing as the garden she builds. Behind the pages can be glimpsed a master gardener who works intuitively, letting the garden suggest itself over time rather than on the drawing board; someone alive to the surprises and secrets an old garden only gradually reveals; someone sensitive to the intentions and history of its first builders and sanguine about the depredations of wildlife and weather.
Rose lovers will appreciate the depth of knowledge Susan Irvine imparts with such casual grace, and garden lovers will be inspired by the grand garden design captured in the atmospheric photography of Simon Griffiths.
