The most famous is ‘D own the Garden Path‘ followed by the other two in the trilogy: ‘A Thatched Roof‘ and ‘ A Village in a Valley‘.

Boston Globe 19981203 Nichols brings unrestrained passion for plants and flowers to his story, set in the gossipy framework of quriky cats and eccentric neighbors, of reclaiming the derelict garden of a run-down Georgian mansion. The last few chapters were a bit more technical for my liking, lots about the plants and flowers in his garden--I wanted to hear more about his meetings with Miss Rose and Miss Kemp and the exasperation that ensued!

As it is with comfort, so it is with taste; to linger in the Tudors is merely a sign of aesthetic adolescence; one must more on the eighteenth century, and if one has any sense, stay there. I often think that her illness really shortened his life, for she was able to do very little in the garden, and was exhausted after lifting heavy weights. Finance is provided by PayPal Credit (a trading name of PayPal UK Ltd, Whittaker House, Whittaker Avenue, Richmond-Upon-Thames, Surrey, United Kingdom, TW9 1EH). Merry Hall is the first book in a second trilogy, and I fear books two and three may be a lot harder to find.

It is entertaining to read about the twee posturings of Rose till you realize that most of his contemporary readers would have known whom he was skewering (and till you realize that he has a fair amount of twee in his own nature). I also would have liked to join in with the End of The Month View with Helen at the Patientgardener blog, but, no chance. Journal of the Scottish Rock Garden Club 19980601 Merry Hall, first published in 1951 and reissued this year by the redoubtable Timber Press, is the very model of gardening insouciance. Babies, as all bachelors will agree, should not be allowed at large unless they are heavily draped, and fitted with various appliances for absorbing sound and moisture. So sorry you have not been well Chloris – hopefully you are feeling better after your week by the fire.Well, that puts me in my place, as I am lingering in a house built in 1500, with low ceilings which regularly attack the Pianist who is very tall.

Read about Beverley Nichols some years back and was recently reminded of his country gardening books--so got my hands on a copy of Merry Hall. My copy in 60 years old – I can’t believe it was published as long ago as 1953 – and yet is in remarkably good condition. They're not really my bag, but as an anecdotal meander through the life of someone who led a rich and fascinating life, and who had a keen eye and ear for the ridiculous, it is glorious.At the heart of his writing is the passion of a sensitive, intelligent man who has found a creative and emotional outlet in his love of plants and the act of making a garden. G. Wodehouse, Beverley Nichols (a man) takes us on the adventures of moving into his new home, Merry Hall, in the English countryside. Put me in post WWII London suburbs, add a manor house needing repair, a crusty old gardener, some siamese cats, one or two gossipy village socialites, and an author with the humor of PG Wodehouse and I'm truly happy.

Anne Raver New York Times 20000227 Merry Hall provides excellent and detailed descriptions of plants and gardening as it also provides an intriguing plot. From the chapter entitled "Not for the Tough": "I always seem to be disturbing hedgehogs, and always at the wrong time of year, and I wish there were some means of assuring the hedgehogs that this conduct is inadvertent. First in a trilogy, "Merry Hall" is the account of the restoration of a house and garden in post-war England. The other two thorns in Beverley Nichols’s side are two nosy near neighbours Miss Emily and ‘Our Rose’ the battles with whom are quite hilariously recounted.

I am totally in love with Beverley Nichols and was thrilled to find on a trip to London a couple of years ago a hardcover copy of his book “Twenty-five” a collection of anecdotes of people he knew. He has a gift for humorous raconteurism that makes the reader a co-conspirator, but only in a public-facing way. The house offers more than 6,000sq ft of accommodation on three floors, including entrance and inner halls, impressive drawing and dining rooms, a study, conservatory and kitchen/breakfast room, a large billiard room with double doors leading onto the terrace, 10 bedrooms and four bathrooms.