Garden historian Jane Brown talks about her forthcoming book on the trust’s founder and great liberal campaigner Dorothy Elmhirst. Elmhirst, at one time New York’s number one most eligible heiress, settled at Dartington hall with her second husband, Leonard Elmhirst. Together they founded a school and arts college based on the revival of rural community life; influenced many of the artists, architects and musicians of the mid-20th century; and created a wonderful garden.

Brown is an acclaimed garden historian and author of studies of Gertrude Jekyll and Vita Sackville-West. She has spent 13 years putting together her book on Elmhirst, which was recently submitted to the publishers.  She will be introduced by the former chairman of the Dartington Hall Trust, John Pontin.