Earthly joys

As John Tradescant, renowned gardener and collector of rare botanical specimens, plans and plants a series of elaborate, innovative gardens for Sir Robert Cecil, the pragmatic royal advisor to Queen Elizabeth and King James I, and to George Villiers, the doomed duke of Buckingham, he is privy to an astonishing amount of sensitive information about a number of potentially explosive court conspiracies. An exceptionally loyal and trustworthy servant, John is commissioned by both Cecil and Buckingham to undertake a series of clandestine missions to safeguard the sanctity of the realm. When the unpopular Charles I inherits the throne, he is once again summoned into royal service by Queen Henrietta Maria. As public dissatisfaction mounts and England hovers on the brink of civil war, Tradescant performs a delicate balancing act, torn between his duty to king and country and his loyalty to his increasingly uneasy family. A cleverly conceived and executed historical narrative spanning one of the most intriguing and turbulent eras in British history. --Margaret Flanagan

The order of a 17th-century English garden stands in contradiction to the dissolution of a plague- and hunger-ridden land ruled by greedy Stuart kings and immoral courtiers. Gregory's (Wideacre) latest historical novel follows gardener John Tradescant, whose life entwines with the chaotic history of his time. Tradescant is in his 30s when he goes to work for King James's trusted adviser Robert Cecil, then observes the degradation as power passes from the honorable Cecil to the seductive, sexually cynical Duke of Buckingham. Tradescant's wife and son are suspicious of the pro-Catholic views of the court. Puritanical by nature, they conduct an ongoing argument with John about who owes allegiance where. The need for bright perfection‘a garden where nothing fades or dies‘requires enormous labor, a visibly costly attempt to impose decorative order on wilderness. For the gardener, the question of loyalty is initially simple, but his family is appalled by court excesses as people are taxed and slowly starved. The population grows more restive as court arrogance increases. This is a powerful parable for any period of history, but here the details of home life, travel and the attitudes toward human worth make it a potent statement about Stuart absolutism, pre-Restoration chaos and an empire on the cusp of colonization and trade. Gregory's skills as a storyteller give these issues a human focus and result in an absorbing narrative. (Sept.) FYI: The story of the Tradescant family will continue in a sequel. (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

John Tradescant, gardener to Lord Cecil, depends on a well-ordered universe in which he serves a master, who serves the crown, who serves God. When James I succeeds Elizabeth, the social fabric begins to unravel. The disastrous rule of Charles I stirs more discontent among the people, including John's wife and son. As he searches for new plants and creates fabulous gardens for wealthy patrons, John witnesses court dissipation and corruption. His loyalty to Lord Buckingham, a man unsurpassed in beauty, ambition, and self-indulgence, changes John from servant to lover, bringing him guilt as well as pleasure before Buckingham's rejection. Gregory's (The Little House, LJ 10/1/96) strong plotting, intriguing characters, and rich evocation of a time and place will leave readers eager for the promised sequel about John's son. Highly recommended for historical fiction collections.‘Kathy Piehl, Mankato State Univ., MN (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

As John Tradescant, renowned gardener and collector of rare botanical specimens, plans and plants a series of elaborate, innovative gardens for Sir Robert Cecil, the pragmatic royal advisor to Queen Elizabeth and King James I, and to George Villiers, the doomed duke of Buckingham, he is privy to an astonishing amount of sensitive information about a number of potentially explosive court conspiracies. An exceptionally loyal and trustworthy servant, John is commissioned by both Cecil and Buckingham to undertake a series of clandestine missions to safeguard the sanctity of the realm. When the unpopular Charles I inherits the throne, he is once again summoned into royal service by Queen Henrietta Maria. As public dissatisfaction mounts and England hovers on the brink of civil war, Tradescant performs a delicate balancing act, torn between his duty to king and country and his loyalty to his increasingly uneasy family. A cleverly conceived and executed historical narrative spanning one of the most intriguing and turbulent eras in British history. ((Reviewed September 15, 1998)) Copyright 2000 Booklist Reviews

John Tradescant, gardener to Lord Cecil, depends on a well-ordered universe in which he serves a master, who serves the crown, who serves God. When James I succeeds Elizabeth, the social fabric begins to unravel. The disastrous rule of Charles I stirs more discontent among the people, including John's wife and son. As he searches for new plants and creates fabulous gardens for wealthy patrons, John witnesses court dissipation and corruption. His loyalty to Lord Buckingham, a man unsurpassed in beauty, ambition, and self-indulgence, changes John from servant to lover, bringing him guilt as well as pleasure before Buckingham's rejection. Gregory's (The Little House, LJ 10/1/96) strong plotting, intriguing characters, and rich evocation of a time and place will leave readers eager for the promised sequel about John's son. Highly recommended for historical fiction collections. Kathy Piehl, Mankato State Univ., MN Copyright 1998 Library Journal Reviews

The order of a 17th-century English garden stands in contradiction to the dissolution of a plague- and hunger-ridden land ruled by greedy Stuart kings and immoral courtiers. Gregory's (Wideacre) latest historical novel follows gardener John Tradescant, whose life entwines with the chaotic history of his time. Tradescant is in his 30s when he goes to work for King James's trusted adviser Robert Cecil, then observes the degradation as power passes from the honorable Cecil to the seductive, sexually cynical Duke of Buckingham. Tradescant's wife and son are suspicious of the pro-Catholic views of the court. Puritanical by nature, they conduct an ongoing argument with John about who owes allegiance where. The need for bright perfection a garden where nothing fades or dies requires enormous labor, a visibly costly attempt to impose decorative order on wilderness. For the gardener, the question of loyalty is initially simple, but his family is appalled by court excesses as people are taxed and slowly starved. The population grows more restive as court arrogance increases. This is a powerful parable for any period of history, but here the details of home life, travel and the attitudes toward human worth make it a potent statement about Stuart absolutism, pre-Restoration chaos and an empire on the cusp of colonization and trade. Gregory's skills as a storyteller give these issues a human focus and result in an absorbing narrative. (Sept.) FYI: The story of the Tradescant family will continue in a sequel. Copyright 1998 Publishers Weekly Reviews