The Flower Yard

Arthur Parkinson’s town garden is like a path of pots, a tiny, exposed stage on bricks. Despite its small size, a flower-filled jungle in Venetian tones is grown here each year, in defiance of urbanisation. The plants act like drapes, closing gently as their growth engulfs the front door, from either side of the path, to the buzz of precious bees.

This is gardening done entirely in pots, yet on a grand scale that will inspire anyone who wants their doorstep or patio to be a glamorous and lively canvas that nurtures them visually and mentally. From jewel scatterings of crocus, flocks of parrot tulips and scented sweet peas to galaxies of single dahlias, towering giraffes of amaryllises grown inside for winter and endless vases of cut blooms through the seasons.

With his bantam hens at his feet, Arthur shares his life, knowledge, flair and influences for planting creatively, all of which combine to create a space that’s rich in ever-changing colour and life.

Author Biography

Arthur Parkinson trained at Kew Gardens. After graduating, he pursued an interest in growing cut flowers by working for renowned gardener Sarah Raven. He continued to work for her as a florist, arranging flowers and teaching, and together they recorded the much-praised podcast Grow, Cook, Eat, Arrange. Arthur designed a garden for the Emma Bridgewater factory in Staffordshire, which received wide acclaim, as did the accompanying book, The Pottery Gardener. His second book, The Flower Yard, was one of The Times Best Gardening Books of 2021. A guest presenter on BBC Gardeners’ World, he has also written about gardening and keeping poultry for several newspapers and magazines and his memoir, Chicken Boy, was published in 2023. He shares his photography on Instagram.