Virginia Woolf
A Botanical Perspective Presented by the Botanic Garden of Smith College |
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Knole and Sissinghurst
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Knole, ancestral home of the Sackvilles, where Vita Sackville-West was born. Woolf used it as the setting for her novel Orlando, whose main character is based on Vita Sackville-West. | |||||||||||||||||||
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Knole. Photograph by Karen Kukil
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Vita Sackville-West was one of the best-known English gardeners and garden-writers of her time. Her garden at Sissinghurst was a masterpiece. To Vita, her work in the garden was linked to her work as a poet for she saw both as an exercise in creativity. She believed a beautiful garden was the appropriate response to war. Virginia and Vita became intimate friends and, for a time, lovers. Virginia dedicated her novel Orlando to Vita. The Hogarth Press published several of Vita Sackville-West's novels and when Vita and her husband, Harold Nicolson, bought Sissinghurst, Leonard and Virginia gave them the old Hogarth printing press as a housewarming gift. |
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Sissinghurst photographs by Dave Parker
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The cottage garden with a view of Sissinghurst tower.
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View from Vita's tower at Sissinghurst.
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The purple border at Sissinghurst.
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The herb garden at Sissinghurst.
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The rose garden at Sissinghurst.
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