Gardens of England

About the film

A colourful look at the various types of gardens to be found in England, a nation of gardeners.

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Details

• Release year - 1941
• Director - Michael Hankinson
• Production company - Spectator
• Cinematographer - Geoffrey Unsworth
• Composer - Jack Beaver
• Narration - Alvar Lidell
• Editor - Ralph Kemplen
• Sound recording - W.S. Bland
• Running time (minutes) - 09 mins 21 secs

Original description

The rich and poor alike have flowers

'This film shows the inborn love of Englishmen for a garden, whether it is Hampton Court, a cottage garden or the tiny strip in front of a suburban house. Whatever the limitations of his garden, the gardener accepts them as a challenge to his skill.'

(Films of Britain - British Council Film Department Catalogue - 1942-43)

Did you know?

• This film was digitised from the only known physical copy of the film. Thought lost, it was located by TIME/IMAGE in the New Zealand Film Archive, from where it was repatriated by the British Film Institute.
• The line “Annihilating all that's made, To a green Thought in a green Shade” at the 5-minute mark is taken from the famous 17th century poem ‘The Garden’ by Andrew Marvell, who also wrote ‘To His Coy Mistress’.
• This film was made at the same time, and by the same people, as World Garden. The title cards are even in the same style, though Alvar Lidell's name is misspelt.

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