''Son of the Secret Gardener'', author Dr Trevor MIllum, Book Review

Dr Trevor Millum's grandfather, George Millum Snr, was the head gardener at Maytham Hall in Kent which was the home of Frances Hodgson. The very famous classic childresn story 'The Secret Garden' was written by Frances Hodgson in the early 1900s. The grumpy old gardener who tends the 'secret garden' in the book, Ben Weatherstaff, is modeled upon a younger George Millum.   George Millum's son, George Charles Millum, who like his father was born in the gardener's cottage at Maytham, also grew up to be a hard working country house gardener .

George Charles Millum kept diaries for many years of his working gardening life, also in his lifetime he was called away to war, married and had children...  his son, Trevor Millum has transcribed and sometimes interpreted two of his diaries , also giving details of  their family life throughout the book. There are family photographs and illustrations( byTwink Addison) throughout.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, amazed at the sheer amount of work involved in running and keeping a 'country house garden', not just the general upkeep but also having to grow the vegetables for the house and keeping flower displays for inside as well as organiseing, planning and providing stunning gardens.What a wonderful family heritage of personal diaries and photographs, shared by Trevor Millum.

This is an good relaxing, want to read and keep reading book. Perfect to sit reading  and relaxing with a cup of tea in the garden, I mostly sat in my little old greenhouse, as its not that warm outside just now!

I hope, as a keen gardener,  there might be a follow-up of the entire set of diaries transcribed ? please?  lol