After a Foreword by John Brookes himself and a brief introduction, The Story of John Brookes reveals all the influences that have come to bear on John s work plotting the major stages of his career. The chapter plots his growth as a garden designer, from his apprenticeship with the Nottingham Corporation Parks Department in 1954, through his work with Brenda Colvin and Sylvia Crowe in the late 1950s and early 1960s, and his setting up of his own garden and landscape design practice. His first successes in London town gardens in the 1960s are charted, as well as his key designs and educational achievements around the globe throughout his career, right up to his current position as the doyen of contemporary garden designers. The second chapter provides a fascinating insight into John Brookes s garden and landscape design work, by analysing 18 of his most significant designs and their execution. Written after extensive research, Barbara Simms summarises the history of each commission, the challenges John Brookes faced, and describes his design approach in meeting the brief. Some of John s original design sketches are reproduced and contemporary and recent photographs capture the development of each garden.

Author Biography

Dr Barbara Simms is a garden and landscape historian with a particular interest in gardens of the post-war era. Barbara is a lecturer in garden history at Birkbeck College (London University), Cambridge University Institute of Continuing Education and the Inchbald School of Garden Design. In addition to her teaching commitments, Barbara continues to be involved in research, writing and speaking on garden history and is involved with the London Parks & Gardens Trust (chairman 2001-2007), the Museum of Garden History (trustee) and the Garden History Society (editor of the Society s journal, Garden History).