A New Orchard And Garden by Lawson and Harward

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A New Orchard And Garden by Lawson and Harward

(5 User reviews) 1128

By Sophie Smith Posted on Mar 18, 2026

In Category - Baking

Authors: Harward, Simon, active 1572-1614 Published By : Harward, Simon, active 1572-1614

Book Language: English

Okay, so I just read this fascinating little book from the 1600s called 'A New Orchard And Garden,' and you have to hear about it. It’s not just a gardening manual—it’s a time capsule. Imagine a guy, Simon Harward, writing in the late 1500s, trying to convince his skeptical neighbors and the whole of England that they should plant more fruit trees. His big argument? That orchards are the key to a better, healthier, and more prosperous life. The 'conflict' here is between old habits and this new, almost revolutionary idea. He's battling against the mindset of people who see land only for grazing sheep or growing basic grains. He's trying to sell them on the long-term payoff of a cherry tree. It’s a quiet, persistent argument for change wrapped up in instructions for grafting apples and choosing the right soil. It feels surprisingly urgent, like he’s on a personal mission to make the English countryside bloom. It’s less about a plot twist and more about watching a single, determined voice try to literally reshape the world around him, one planted pip at a time.

File: A New Orchard And Garden by Lawson and Harward

Let's set the scene: England, around the year 1600. Most people's idea of farming involved fields of wheat and flocks of sheep. Then along comes Simon Harward with a different vision. His book, A New Orchard And Garden, is his detailed plan to get everyone planting fruit trees.

The Story

There isn't a traditional narrative with characters, but there is a clear mission. Harward lays out, step-by-step, how to start an orchard from scratch. He covers everything: picking the perfect sunny spot, preparing the soil, choosing which trees to plant (from apples and pears to more exotic figs and almonds), and how to care for them year-round. He gives practical advice on grafting, pruning, and protecting your trees from pests. But woven through all this how-to is his core belief. He argues that orchards provide not just food, but beauty, health (fruit was considered good medicine), and even national strength. The 'story' is his persistent effort to turn England into a land of plentiful, fruitful gardens.

Why You Should Read It

Reading this is like having a conversation with a very knowledgeable, slightly obsessive neighbor from four centuries ago. You get his clear passion for the subject. It's not a dry list of instructions; it's a persuasive essay. You can feel his frustration with short-term thinking and his genuine excitement about the potential of a single well-tended tree. The themes are timeless: sustainability, planning for the future, and finding joy in cultivating something that will outlast you. It connects us to a time when the relationship between people and their food sources was direct, personal, and deeply tied to the seasons.

Final Verdict

This is a perfect read for history lovers, gardeners with a curious mind, or anyone who enjoys primary sources that let you peek directly into the past. If you like the idea of learning about 17th-century life not from a history textbook, but from the actual words of someone trying to solve a practical problem of his day, you'll find this captivating. It’s a short, focused, and surprisingly charming look at how one man wanted to change his world, branch by branch.