The New and Improved Practical Gardener, and Modern Horticulturalist

Title continues: "Exhibiting the Latest and Most Approved Management of Kitchen, Fruit, and Flower Gardens, the Green-House, Hot-House, Conservatory, &c. &c. For Every Month in the Year." Charles McIntosh was born at Abercairney in Perthshire where his father, John, was head gardener. Little Charles succeeded his father in this position, before taking on positions as gardener in other British country houses. McIntosh's skill brought him to the attention of Prince Leopold, later King of the Belgians, and for 10 years McIntosh made great improvements to the grounds next to the royal residence of Claremont House, Surrey. Leopold later took McIntosh to Belgium where he remodelled the gardens at Laeken. In 1838 McIntosh returned to Scotland to undertake his greatest role, that of head gardener to the immensely wealthy Duke of Buccleuch. McIntosh updated the Duke's gardens at Dalkeith, introducing the productive hothouses that were amongst the most extensive in the UK. Scattered botanical bits within the leaves testify to this book's actual use by a long-ago horticulturalist.