FORTHCOMING EVENTS
The 150th Anniversary of the birth of John Buchan, first Lord Tweedsmuir. 2025 is the 150th anniversary of the birth of John Buchan and I shall be speaking about the life and works of this remarkable man at a number of events in the course of the year.
On 14 June, I shall be speaking to the Canadian chapter of the John Buchan Society at the Donald Gordon Hotel, Kingston, Ontario and on 16 June to the Historical Society of Ottawa at 1 pm. See www.historicalsocietyottawa.ca.
I shall also be speaking in Peebles, home of the John Buchan Story Museum, during the weekend of 23/24 August, when the Museum and the Tweeddale Society will be celebrating the anniversary. www.johnbuchanstory.co.uk. The subject will be ‘John Buchan, Master Storyteller; A Reader’s Perspective’ and I shall also give the talk at the National Library of Scotland, 4 September at 5.30 (www.nls.uk) and Outwith Arts Festival in Dunfermline on 5 September.
COMING SOON: JOHN BUCHAN RECONSIDERED: Thirty-Nine Years of War and Peace, 1901-1940, a collection of essays to celebrate the 150th anniversary of John Buchan’s birth. with a preface by Professor Sir Niall Ferguson. To be published by Handsel Press on 11 August.
PODCASTS
Slightly Foxed
On 15 July 2019, I was a guest of Slightly Foxed, the quality quarterly for book lovers, talking on the subject of good garden writing with Matt Collins, nature writer and Head Gardener at London’s Garden Museum. We were joined by Slightly Foxed’s Gail Pirkis, Hazel Wood and Philippa Lamb, and we meandered convivially via daredevil plant-hunters, early wild gardening advocates such as Gertrude Jekyll, William Robinson and Vita Sackville-West, and the passing passions and fashions of garden design, with a peek over the hedge at Christopher Lloyd’s Great Dixter along the way. All good fun!
PHOTO BY Charlie HopkinsonABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ursula Buchan is a popular public speaker and writer, who has won awards for both books and journalism. She is known for her wit, elegant style and meticulous research. In the past, she has been concerned with gardens and garden history, but now concentrates mainly on social and cultural history. She is available for speaking engagements at literary festivals, historical societies and gardening clubs.
REVIEWS
A GREEN AND PLEASANT LAND
“Meticulously researched, gripping and often humorous”
Country Life
A GREEN AND PLEASANT LAND
“This book is a rattling good read that reveals a new and broad perspective on one of the most intriguing aspects of British garden and wartime history”
The Garden
A GREEN AND PLEASANT LAND
“Highly entertaining”
The Daily Mail
A GREEN AND PLEASANT LAND
“A spellbinding book”
The Scotsman
A GREEN AND PLEASANT LAND
“This fascinating book is rather like an extremely rich fruit cake, densely packed with all sorts of ingredients… An immensely rewarding read”
BBC Countryfile
THE ENGLISH GARDEN
“[It] captures the essential delight of the English garden in its now myriad forms… for anyone planning a gardening tour of England, this book would be invaluable.”
The Washington Post
THE ENGLISH GARDEN
“Buchan has done a brilliant job in boxing and cooking the vast sweep of English garden history into an engaging narrative”
The Independent