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sjgochenour's review against another edition
3.0
A very interesting topic, though I found that occasionally Barker wandered off onto somewhat muddled philosophical tangents about the meaning of gardens and private property that may or may not have contributed to the overall trajectory of the book. That being said, he remains fairly thoughtful and evenhanded about how hedges can both be ecological mainstays and useful agricultural devices while still being symbols of inequality and a difficult history. (A note: Ireland is included in my tags only because Irish hedges are discussed, not because I am under the impression that Ireland is part of Britain.)
lnatal's review
3.0
From BBC Radio 4 - Book of the week:
Written by Hugh Barker. Read by Tim Key.
Hugh Barker, a hedge enthusiast, has journeyed across Britain to explore its remarkable variety of hedgerows.
The checkerboard pattern of lowland Britain as seen from the air reveals a history of boundaries and enclosures. The author's childhood weekends were spent contributing to this millennia old obsession for tidy borders by clipping the hedges of his parents suburban garden.
Over the course of his travels he discovers how hedges are amongst our most ancient monuments, meets hedgelaying champions and topiary fanatics, and sees the lengths to which some people will go to annoy the neighbours. Along the way he tells how a connection between paradise and the garden hedge grew up, why the British Army planted a barrier hedge hundreds of miles long in India, and how the notorious enclosures during the Industrial Revolution turned the country upside-down.
Abridged and Produced by Jill Waters
A Waters Company production for BBC Radio 4.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01hw6g3
Written by Hugh Barker. Read by Tim Key.
Hugh Barker, a hedge enthusiast, has journeyed across Britain to explore its remarkable variety of hedgerows.
The checkerboard pattern of lowland Britain as seen from the air reveals a history of boundaries and enclosures. The author's childhood weekends were spent contributing to this millennia old obsession for tidy borders by clipping the hedges of his parents suburban garden.
Over the course of his travels he discovers how hedges are amongst our most ancient monuments, meets hedgelaying champions and topiary fanatics, and sees the lengths to which some people will go to annoy the neighbours. Along the way he tells how a connection between paradise and the garden hedge grew up, why the British Army planted a barrier hedge hundreds of miles long in India, and how the notorious enclosures during the Industrial Revolution turned the country upside-down.
Abridged and Produced by Jill Waters
A Waters Company production for BBC Radio 4.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01hw6g3
stephend81d5's review
3.0
interesting book looking at hedges at the different types and how they have become part of the british way of life and how its a cultural and historical aspect to the hedges too and learnt a bit too
halfmanhalfbook's review
4.0
One of classic quirky books that the British do best. Part gardening book, part history, part social history and written by a slightly mad author
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