Arthur Parkinson – författare

Arthur Parkinson''s town garden is like a path of pots, a tiny, exposed stage on bricks. Despite its small size, a flower-filled jungle in Venetian tones is grown here each year, in defiance of urbanisation. The plants act like drapes, closing gently as their growth engulfs the front door, from either side of the path, to the buzz of precious bees. This is gardening done entirely in pots, yet on a grand scale that will inspire anyone who wants their doorstep or patio to be a glamorous and lively canvas that nurtures them visually and mentally. From jewel scatterings of crocus, flocks of parrot tulips and scented sweet peas to galaxies of single dahlias, towering giraffes of amaryllises grown inside for winter and endless vases of cut blooms through the seasons. With his bantam hens at his feet, Arthur shares his life, knowledge, flair and influences for planting creatively, all of which combine to create a space that''s rich in ever-changing colour and life.

Brought to you by Penguin.A captivating testament to the mutual rewards and delights of keeping chickens, by the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Flower YardMost of us want a dog, or a cat, or a pony when we are young – but for Arthur Parkinson, it was always hens. Growing up in an ex-mining town in Nottinghamshire, the other kids in the playground called him ''Chicken Boy''. The quiet fulfilment of keeping hens became his sanctuary, a tonic for mental and physical health, a connection with his family and the natural world. Illustrated with Arthur''s own characterful watercolours and photographs of his ‘girls’, Chicken Boy is a one-of-a-kind memoir of a life in nature.©2023 Arthur Parkinson (P)2023 Penguin Audio

Selected for The Times Best Gardening Books of the Year 2023Every garden, large or small, in a town or in the country, even one formed completely by pots, can be a living dance of lavish colours, glorious scents and pollen-rich flowers alive to the sound of bird song and the buzz of bees. In Planting a Paradise, Arthur Parkinson, bestselling author of The Flower Yard, focuses on what to grow through the seasons with an array of planting ideas and recommended varieties to inspire the experienced and novice gardener alike. From his newly found love of muscari, narcissi and seeding grasses, to circuses of dahlias, luscious herbs, figs and crab apples, the result is not only a stunning living harvest but also an oasis for wildlife at a time when we need this style of gardening more than ever. Praise for The Flower Yard:''Simply gorgeous'' - Nigel Slater''The Kew-trained king of the small-space garden'' - Guardian