Book Talk: The View from Federal Twist with James Golden

‘It woke me up,’ says Thomas Rainer, writing about Federal Twist in the Foreword to James Golden’s new book. Making his garden woke Golden up too. The site was terrible—a waste of derelict woodland, shade, and heavy, wet clay. As Golden thought his way through the constraints of the place, the emerging garden triggered new awakenings, and led him to a new way of thinking about gardens, nature and himself. In this illustrated book talk, Golden will tell us about this new way of thinking, and how it changed his life.

James Golden, born and raised in Mississippi, though resident in New York City for most of his adult life, worked in business. Nearing retirement and embarking on what he happily calls la vita nuova, he made a decision to follow a long-buried urge toward the natural world and he moved to a property in western New Jersey to make a garden. Fifteen years on, James is a celebrated garden-maker and thinker whose garden, Federal Twist, has featured in numerous publications, as well as in his notable blog, View from Federal Twist. After visiting Federal Twist in 2019 for the BBC Gardener’s World series American Gardens, Monty Don wrote in his book on the series, ‘Of all the people I spoke to in hundreds of conversations right across America, James was the wisest and most gifted gardener.’

Advance reservation is suggested. Hollister House will follow all state and local guidelines for COVID-19 at our events. HHG Members $25 | Non-members $35.

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