Flowers That Thrive in London Gardens and Smoky Towns: A Victorian Botanical Handbook

First published in 1886 by The Leadenhall Press–priced at one shilling–Flowers that Thrive in London Gardens & Smoky Towns is a charming botanical book which offers a window onto late Victorian urban life. With good humor and with many curious digressions, Mrs. Haweis details the trials and tribulations facing the green fingered city dweller as they strive to nurture plants amidst the smoke, smog, and soot. This practical handbook served as a riposte to those country cousins who insisted that a London garden was a fool’s errand. Mrs. Haweis provides a wealth of horticultural advice and good sense, and draws inspiration from the fine, subtropical botanical gardens of Battersea Park and beyond.