Marta McDowell teaches landscape history and horticulture at the New York Botanical Garden and consults for private clients and public gardens. Timber Press has published her recent books including The World of Laura Ingalls Wilder: The Frontier Landscapes that Inspired the Little House Books in September 2017. All the Presidents’ Gardens made the New York Times bestseller list in 2015 and won an American Horticultural Society book award. Beatrix Potter’s Gardening Life won a 2014 Gold Award from the Garden Writers Association and is in its sixth printing. Marta is working on a revision of her first book, Emily Dickinson’s Gardens, due out in a full color edition by Timber Press in 2019. Marta is one of the founders of the Chatham Community Garden and is on the board of the NJ Historical Foundation at the Cross Estate in Bernardsville. Her husband, Kirke Bent, summarizes her biography as “I am therefore I dig,” and their pet cockatiel is named Sydney.
Books in order of publication:
Emily Dickinson’s Gardens: A Celebration of a Poet and Gardener – 2004
A Garden Alphabetized – 2008
Beatrix Potter’s Gardening Life: The Plants and Places That Inspired the Classic Children’s Tales – 2013
All the Presidents’ Gardens: Madison’s Cabbages to Kennedy’s Roses—How the White House Grounds Have Grown with America – 2016
The World of Laura Ingalls Wilder: The Frontier Landscapes that Inspired the Little House Books – 2017
Looking for Peter Rabbit: Miss Potter And Her Botanic Garden – 2018
Emily Dickinson’s Gardening Life: The Plants and Places That Inspired the Iconic Poet – 2019
Unearthing The Secret Garden: The Plants and Places That Inspired Frances Hodgson Burnett – 2021
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