In Green Shades: An Anthology of Plants, Gardens and Gardeners, acclaimed author Elizabeth Jane Howard brings together a fascinating selection of gardening writing that spans the centuries, the seasons and the species.

Part of the Macmillan Collector’s Library; a series of stunning, pocket sized classics with ribbon markers. These beautiful books make perfect gifts or a treat for any book lover.

The contents are delightfully eclectic and wide-ranging – she pays homage to the great English landscape artists of the eighteenth century and to great women gardeners such as Vita Sackville-West. There’s advice from Pliny on how walnuts can be used to dye hair, and Joseph Addison encourages blackbirds to gorge on his cherry trees. Linking the numerous extracts is Elizabeth Jane Howard’s perceptive and highly personal commentary, which skilfully guides the reader from one subject to the next.