Ian August was about to retire from his position as the Factor for the Northumberland Alnwick Estates when the Duchess asked for his help with a new project for a couple of weeks. Eight years later the project that has become Alnwick Gardens is still growing. The Duchess of Northumberland's vision was to create a beautiful public space accessible to everyone. A garden which is a place of contemplation, a place of fun, inspiration and education. This vision is now being taken forward by The Alnwick Garden Trust. This book is the story, as told by the man who has been at the Duchess's side since the beginning, of one woman's stubborn battle to create her dream. Told in a mixture of letters, anecdotes and memoirs, Ian August captures the dramas, the dilemmas and the victories of the long battle. He has also documented the gardens' creation so here too are the before-and-after pictures of the largest Tree House in the world; of the Poison Garden; of the Cascade; of David Austen's Rose Garden and many more surprises. It is a garden which uses the latest technologies and interweaves them with age-old techniques. The story of its creation is a breathtaking history of courage and determination.