Remembering John Abercrombie: Writer of Every Man His Own Garden

On May 2, 1806, the garden writer John Abercrombie died. 

The previous day, John had fallen down some steps. He had broken his hip a few weeks earlier, and so this last fall is what did him in.

Abercrombie was a character of singular charm.

His love for a cup of tea was legendary, and his vegetarian diet was a source of much amusement to some.

A true Scot, he lived and breathed gardening, and his magnum opus, Every Man His Own Garden, remains a cornerstone of horticultural literature.

While he penned other notable works, such as The Garden Mushroom and The Complete Wall and Tree Pruner, none quite matched the enduring popularity of his first masterpiece.

A curious twist of fate: Abercrombie's 17 children all predeceased him, the last departing this mortal coil a decade before his own passing.

Born in Edinburgh, Abercrombie's early career was spent tending to the Royal Gardens at Kew and Leicester House.

He later ventured into market gardening, establishing successful enterprises in Hackney and Tottenham.

In his later years, Abercrombie developed a fondness for tea and a vegetarian diet, often indulging in smoking his pipe for hours on end. He firmly believed that these habits contributed to his well-being.

Alas, it was a hip fracture that ultimately claimed his life.