BOOK TOUR -- 'STORIES OF GARDENS & GLAMOUR' WITH LINDA HOLDEN (AND ME)

STORIES OF GARDENS AND GLAMOUR

GARDENS, BIOGRAPHIES, AND BEHIND-THE-SCENES STORIES OF GREAT ESTATES

A BOOK TOUR WITH LINDA HOLDEN AND JANELLE McCULLOCH

Thousands of book and garden lovers bought Linda Holden's beautiful book THE GARDENS OF BUNNY MELLON (Vendome), which was a runaway bestseller last year.  Recently, a friend and I had the privilege of visiting Mrs Mellon's own private garden and estate in Virginia, 'Oak Spring', and were even more privileged to meet Linda and be shown around by head gardener Randy Embrey. Since then, I've read and re-read this gorgeous book and have been enthralled at the gardens Mrs Mellon designed for Hubert de Givenchy, Jackie Kennedy and many others. Well, now it's my absolute pleasure to announce that, after many months of planning, Linda is coming to Australia for a book tour.

If you would like to hear behind-the-scenes stories of Bunny Mellon and the garden at Oak Spring, and see photographs of Mrs Mellon's gardens for Hubert de Givenchy, the White House, the Kennedys, the potager at Versailles, and many other places, please mark your diaries for one of the dates on her Australian book tour, October 17 - 22.  

It's such a thrill to host Linda, and I can promise her stories are worth listening to! As well, I thought it would be nice to 'bookend' the event with some of the beautiful gardens and homes I've had the privilege of shooting for GARDENS OF STYLE: PRIVATE HIDEAWAYS OF THE DESIGN WORLD (Rizzoli), so I will chat about Estee and Aerin Lauder's garden in the Hamptons, Carolyne Roehm's estate in Connecticut, David Hicks's famous garden in Oxfordshire, Bunny Williams's beautiful country house in Connecticut, Ben Pentreath's hideaway in Dorset, Christian Dior's flower garden in Normandy and Celerie Kemble’s amazing botanical-themed hideaway in the Dominican Republic, among others.

We will also be co-hosting a one-day Writing and Publishing Workshop on Sunday October 20th (details TBC), for all those who want to write or publish their own design or garden book, or memoir / biography, or want to know how to approach a publisher -- whether in London, New York or Australia. (NOTE: It will be in Melbourne, but there may be another workshop in Sydney. )  

Please email me to RSVP or to be keep up-to-date with details of either the writing workshop or the talks -- janelle.mcculloch@bigpond.com

We hope to see you at one of these events! Both Linda and I are looking forward to meeting you all, and perhaps helping some of you write or publish your own book, too! Books will be for sale, including Linda's book, and my new book The Gardener's Travel Companion to England.

STORIES OF GARDENS AND GLAMOUR

An insight into some of the most beautiful gardens in the world 

TOUR DATES

Thursday October 17th  10am – 12.30pm

CENTENNIAL VINEYARD, SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS, NSW

(ORGANISED BY THE BOOKSHOP BOWRAL, BOWRAL, NSW)

Hosted by The Bookshop Bowral but held at the beautiful Centennial Vineyard, this morning tea, talk and slideshow will feature some of the most extraordinary private gardens in the world, including those of Mrs Rachel ‘Bunny’ Lambert Mellon, the Kennedys’ private gardens, Hubert de Givenchy’s Paris garden, the Potager du Roi at Versailles, the Normandy garden of Christian Dior, the Provence garden of Hermes’ creative director Nicole de Vésian, the Oxfordshire garden of David Hicks, the Hamptons garden of Estée Lauder, the Connecticut estates of Bunny Williams and Carolyne Roehm, and several more. Books will be for sale, with a book signing after the talks. 

(Further details will be posted nearer to date)

RSVP: Bowral Bookstore. 

Email: books@thebookshopbowral.com.au. Phone: (02) 4862 1634. 

Friday October 18th   (Time TBC)

PIGOTT’S, WOOLLAHRA, SYDNEY

Talk and book signing by Linda Jane Holden and Janelle McCulloch about the magnificent gardens they've visited and written about, and the book launch of Janelle McCulloch’s new book The Gardener’s Travel Companion to England. Books for sale. (Details TBC)

(Further details will be posted nearer to date)

RSVP: Pigott’s. Email: sales@pigotts.com.au  

Or Janelle.mcculloch@bigpond.com

Saturday October 19th   11am – 1pm  

MORNINGTON LIBRARY, MORNINGTON

Talk and slideshow by bestselling American author Linda Jane Holden (The Gardens of Bunny Mellon, Vendome) and Janelle McCulloch (Gardens of Style, Rizzoli), plus book sales and book signings. 

(Further details will be posted nearer to date)

RSVP: Mornington Library (details TBC) 

Or through Eventbrite – LINK

Sunday October 20th    (Time TBC)

WRITING AND PUBLISHING WORKSHOP

Writing workshop held by Linda Jane Holden and Janelle McCulloch

Details and venue TBC (Further details will be posted nearer to date)

CONTACT: Janelle.mcculloch@bigpond.com Phone: 0422 356 350

Monday October 21st   6.30pm – 8pm

READINGS BOOKSTORE, HAWTHORN 

Talk and slideshow by Linda Jane Holden and Janelle McCulloch on the gardens they’ve had the privilege of writing about and visiting.

RSVP: Readings Hawthorn 

(Further details will be on Readings’ website and here nearer to date) 

Or email janelle.mcculloch@bigpond.com

Tuesday October 22nd   6pm – 8pm

ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS, MELBOURNE 

Talk and slideshow for the ‘Friends of the Royal Botanic Gardens’.

(if you’re not a member, this is a good opportunity to join this wonderful organization).
Welcome drinks and a light supper from 6pm – 6.30pm, followed by talk. Book sales and signings after. 

(Further details will be posted nearer to date)

RSVP: Friends of the Royal Botanic Gardens – jill.scown@frbgmelb.org.au P: 03 9650 6398