More than 45 people have been interviewed in order to create the book. When I first put the idea to many of them at the Fanshawe Gate helpers’ lunch in early April, I expected some reluctance to appear in a book about the garden. Most are modest and private people, and their initial reaction was often, ‘I’m not interesting enough to write about!’ I didn’t accept that objection: I think that everyone’s lives have something of value and interest in them, often in the everyday details that they take for granted. I love reading about other people’s lives, but find that what often interests me most is what they eat for breakfast. As Juliette’s transcripts of the interviews started to arrive, and I read the description by Barbara Coldwell, one of the kitchen volunteers, of how she sprinkles bee pollen on her Kelloggs in the morning, the project came to life.

Much more followed. Juliette and I had agreed a standard list of questions to ask each person, and the diversity of the responses was fascinating. The challenge has been to try to keep each person’s ‘Garden Tale’ in their own words as far as possible. By and large, people have been prepared to be candid, so some of the pieces are quite funny, and others are very moving.

The month of August was frantic for the whole production team. The final interviews were only completed in the first week, leaving less than 2 weeks for Cynthia to absorb all the ‘Tales’ that had been agreed with their contributors, and for us to reshape her introduction in the light of them. I will never forget her reaction when she read them all for the first time – she was utterly astonished to find out so much about people she had known for many years.

I stayed at Fanshawe Gate, enjoying the beautiful sunrises courtesy of Arry the Cockerel’s loud crowing (more about him in the book!). Days were spent crowded round the computer screens in Grafika’s offices with the designers, Lindy (who designed Cynthia’s first book, ‘A Garden in my Life’) and Chris. At one point it seemed that every single person in the office had been conscripted to work on the book in order to meet the print deadline. Even my 13-year-old daughter, Frances, who appears in the book as one of the kitchen volunteers, found herself doing somewhat underage work experience as Grafika’s receptionist. The highlight of each day was often the arrival of another chocolate cake from Cynthia – it’s going to be hard for other clients to beat that.

What sort of book have we produced? It’s certainly not a conventional gardening book. Few plants or techniques are mentioned (although there are some fabulous photographs). In fact there are detailed planting plans in ‘A Garden in my Life’, which we may now reprint in the hope that people will want to read the ‘back story’. ‘Garden Tales’ is definitely a book that someone who opens their garden to the public (or is thinking of doing so) will want to read – the descriptions of the effort involved are sobering, but the fact that everyone is having such fun must be quite inspiring too.

The book is really about people. It’s not quite a social history – this is not Emmanuel LeRoy Ladurie in 14th century Montaillou, or Studs Terkel in 20th century Chicago – but it’s surprising what themes and patterns do emerge. Some are particular to life in North Derbyshire; others are universal.

On Radio Sheffield this morning, Cynthia likened the book to the Canterbury Tales. The context for ‘Garden Tales’ is not a journey but a garden: a sanctuary and a meeting place where people can come together and exchange their stories. That was the idea that inspired my choice of title. Inevitably, now that the book is printed, I wish that we could have had a few months more to explore all these interesting stories even further. But perhaps it’s good to have left some questions unanswered: there will be some great conversations to look forward to when next year’s garden open season starts.

Garden Tales is launched at Fanshawe Gate Hall tomorrow Tuesday 15th September when book contributors, charity representatives and media join in the celebration.

Louise Third
Integra Communications

After a couple of hours of absolute silence from the film crew and plenty of running around to move tripods and bags in the way of key shots, we retired with an abundance of workable footage and two hundred photos, leaving the visitors to enjoy the rest of the warm and golden afternoon at Fanshawe Gate Hall.

James Bettney

Miss Potter with young 'animals'

As Garden Tales begins to take shape, my task is to work several months ahead to plan media coverage in the national glossy gardening mags. This means coverage in the November and December editions which will be worked on in the next few weeks. Today my young assistant called round 15 titles for their copy deadlines so we can have text and photos ready – and of course this means winter shots and a plug for Christmas presents.

We handle all publicity for Fanshawe Gate which starts with the Spring open garden for Christian aid and moves onto the main summer season, usually with a particular theme for the year. To mark the completion of the Kitchen Garden in 2007 we had a Beatrix Potter themed children’s quiz and ‘Miss Potter’ visited to judge a fancy dress competition. Good for visitor numbers and great for memories. We are going to enjoy ‘telling Garden Tales’.

Louise Third

Integra Communications

We also have a Facebook group for ‘Garden Tales‘ that you can join and get all the latest news, plus there’s links on there to the Fanshawe Gate Hall website and more importantly links to where you can order the book online.

Click now and become a member!

Juliette Banks

I have now carried out 31 of the interviews with various people who are involved. They range from kitchen helpers on the Open Days, to gardeners, people who run stalls and visitors to the garden.

I had the pleasure of going up to an Open Day yesterday, and meeting and interviewing Clare and Louise Third- both volunteers there. Both were very interesting to talk to. Even in the kitchen, amongst the hustle and bustle, the Wimbledon mens final was being watched on the television with keen tennis fans crowded around the screen.

With the weather staying reasonably fine yesterday, there was a great turnout of visitors to the garden, all helping to contribute to various charities and the National Garden Scheme.

Keep watching for more updates…plus…

CLICK HERE TO PRE-ORDER GARDEN TALES ONLINE AT A SPECIAL OFFER PRICE!

Juliette Banks

Buy Garden Tales

This will be an update facility for a book called Garden Tales  

Following the sell-out success of ‘A Garden in my Life’ in 2001, Cynthia Ramsden brings readers up-to-date with further developments in her garden in the early years of the 21st century. 

One of the most popular private gardens in Derbyshire, Fanshawe Gate Hall received a wonderful accolade in February 2009 when John and Cynthia Ramsden became the first garden owners to receive The National Gardens Scheme Exceptional Service Award. 

‘Garden Tales ’ goes behind the scenes at Fanshawe Gate Hall, as designers, builders, gardeners, artists, volunteers and visitors talk about their own lives, and what brings them back, year after year, to this enchanting spot on the edge of the Peak District National Park. 

Produced by the same team as ‘A Garden in my Life’, ‘Garden Tales’ contains stunning photography and delightful insights into those very English pastimes: gardening and garden visiting. A perfect souvenir, or a 

thoughtful gift, ‘Garden Tales’ will be published in September 2009 at a recommended retail price of £16.99 but can be ordered at the special pre-publication price of £12.99, a discount of nearly 25%. Profits from the sale of ‘Garden Tales’ will be donated to the charities supported by both the National Gardens Scheme and Fanshawe Gate Hall.