Catherine Horwood

Social historian with a passion for gardening Catherine Horwood talks about her biography of Beth Chatto – the most influential British gardener of the last 100 years.

Some years before her death in 2018, Chatto authorised Horwood to write her biography and gave her access to her archive including her notes, diaries and photographs. Horwood tells the story of Chatto’s life and uncovers the beliefs and determination behind her success. Chatto was the inspiration behind the idea of ‘right plant, right place’, which lies at the heart of modern gardening. She also wrote some of the best-known books in gardening including The Dry Garden, The Damp Garden, and Beth Chatto’s Gravel Garden.

Horwood is also author of Gardening Women: Their Stories from 1600 to the Present and Rose.