Britain is a nation of gardeners; the suburban garden, with its roses and privet hedges, is widely admired and copied across the world. But it is little understood how millions across the nation developed an obsession with their colourful plots of land.

Michael Gilson’s new book, Behind the Privet Hedge, explores the history of this development and how, despite their stereotype as symbols of dull, middle-class conformity, these new open spaces were seen as a means to bring about social change in the early twentieth century. He restores to the story a remarkable but long-forgotten figure, Richard Sudell, who spent a lifetime ‘evangelizing’ that the garden be in the vanguard of progress towards a new egalitarian society with everyday beauty at its centre.

Michael Gilson is an award-winning editor, journalist and Associate Fellow at the University of Sussex. Elise Sargent is the Features Editor of Garden Answers, one of the UK’s best-selling gardening magazines.

Mike’s book will be available at the event from the Wordfest/City Books bookstall or Chapter 34 Shoreham

£10

TICKETS: www.shorehamwordfest.com/whats-on

Black Flamingo Store BN43 5WA

Shoreham Markets Aug 24^th, Sep 14 & 28