Twigs Way

Twigs Way is a professional garden historian, author, freelance lecturer and researcher.

Twigs undertakes consultancy and research for Conservation and Management Plans for historic designed landscapes;  lectures on garden history; and  gives talks to private groups, including NADFAS. In 2016 she will be delivering talks and courses on Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown as part of the CB300 tercentenary.

Recent consultancy projects include Madingley Hall for University of Cambrdge,; Holkham Hall Walled Garden (Norfolk); Melton Constable (Norfolk); Wrest Park, Bedfordshire (for English Heritage), Claydon (National Trust), High House, Essex and Lambeth Palace Gardens.

Twigs is also the Vice Chairperson of the Cambridgeshire Gardens Trust and has in the past  coordinated work for the Essex Gardens Trust Archives Group.

Twigs is a prolific and entertaining author of popular books:Her  latest book is  ‘A Social and Cultural History of the Carnation’  for Reaktion Books (Botanic Series) which will be published in Summer 2016

Other recent publications include: ‘A Nation of Gardeners’ in association with the Garden Museum ;  ‘Digging for Victory: The Wartime Garden‘, for Sabrestorm published in 2010; and a series of books for the delightful and popular Shire Books including the ‘The Tudor Garden’, ‘Gertrude Jekyll’,   ‘Garden Gnomes‘, ‘Allotments‘  and ‘Topiary: A History’ for Shire books.  Twigs is currently looking for a publisher for biographies on Frances Viscountess Wolseley of Glynde, and  Jemima Marchioness Grey of Wrest Park.  In 2010 Twigs was an invitee to the coveted  Hatchards ‘Authors of the Year’ Event.

Twigs has also contributed to broadcasts about garden history on both television and radio, including Lost Gardens (Chanel 4), Britain’s Park Story (with Dan Cruickshank, BBC) and a special for Gardener’s World on Women Gardeners.  She also contributes on request to various periodicals such as The English Garden .