A History of the Garden in Fifty Tools

Tools have coevolved with human society the microlith was invented during this time period and consisted of a small sharp stone blade that was set into a handle made of wood, bone or antler. It was the first all in one tool, a small spade that could be used to dig, clip and cut plant material, and to clear land as well. Wheelbarrows originated in China in the 2nd century BC, and its basic form hasn t changed much since, though one can now outfit a wheelbarrow with the latest fashionable colors and tires worthy of two ton SUVs and in this work, the history of fifty individual tools presents an innovative and fertile history of the garden over human time. The work is organized into five thematic chapters relating to different types of gardens: the flower garden, the kitchen garden, the orchard, the lawn, and ornament. Each object based entry includes horticulture and history, and many include well known characters: we read about David Thoreau s favorite hoe, and garden designer Gertrude Jekyll s homemade daisy digger."