BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE 



Edward Kemp was born at Streatham, Surrey, England, 

 September 25, 181 7, and died at Birkenhead, Liverpool, 

 England, March 2, 1 891, in his seventy- fourth year. Even 

 at this early date, less than twenty years since his death, 

 there are very few details of his life and work to be learned. 



His technical training was gained in the gardens of the 

 Royal Horticultural Society at Chiswick, under Dr. Lindley, 

 and subsequently in private work under Sir Joseph Paxton. 

 In September, 1843, at the age of twenty-five, he was made 

 superintendent of Birkenhead Park, Liverpool, and the 

 remainder of his life was closely connected with that particu- 

 lar enterprise. He designed a number of private places, 

 several of which are illustrated and described in the various 

 editions of his books. 



His debut as a writer came in 1850, when he put out a 

 small volume under the title "How to Lay out a Small 

 Garden," which was really the germ of the present book. 

 A second edition, illustrated and much enlarged, was issued 

 in 1858. A third and yet larger edition appeared in 1864. 

 The chronological list of his principal writings is as follows: 



1850. "How to Lay out a Small Garden"; intended as a 

 guide to amateurs in choosing, forming or improving a place, 

 with reference to both design and execution. London, Brad- 

 bury & Evans. 212 pp., 8vo. 



1850. Editor, "The Handbook of Gardening," tenth 

 edition. 



