Garden Museum Journal No.37 | Mollie Portrait of a Gardener

Mollie Salisbury had 16^th-century handwriting, 18^th century poise and 20^th-century spirit’ recalls garden designer and writer, Mary Keen.

The journal is a collection of revealing and often very funny memories of people who knew this whirlwind of a woman – Prince Charles, family members, her Head Gardener for over 30 years and the Hatfield Librarian who helped her research 16^th century gardens and also chauffeured her to her chateau in the South of France in later years.

She was one of the great beauties of her day and also one of the earliest organic gardeners,. She created a magical garden and hugely influential garden at Cranborne Manor (which determined the career of the teenage Arne Maynard amongst others) and ambitious Tudor gardens around Hatfield House. She went on to design other important gardens in the UK – including Highgrove – and in the United States.