A personal invitation into the private gardens - and private lives - of a roll call of fascinating (and mostly famous) people, in varied walks of life

What do the celebrated actors, the bestselling novelist, the Nepalese Sherpa and the famous model have in common?

Like millions of us, they love their gardens--and with good reason, too.

Gardening is an art form through which we can all express ourselves. In the words of that grande dame of gardeners Penelope Hobhouse, "Gardening makes people happy." And, as gardening editor of The Sunday Times, Caroline Donald has been allowed beyond the gate of many a private paradise to share this passion.

Included in The Generous Gardener are the stories, in words and pictures, of more than forty private gardens, including those belonging to Jim Carter and Imelda Staunton, Jilly Cooper, William Christie, Harrison Birtwistle, Kelly Brook, Natasha Spender, Catherine FitzGerald and Dominic West, Julian and Isabel Bannerman, Penelope Hobhouse, Bob Flowerdew, Roy Lancaster, Luciano Giubbilei, and Dan Pearson.