Nancy Lancaster, who was born in 1897 into a wealthy Virginian family, became one of the greatest influences on interior decoration and garden design in Great Britain and America in the second half of the 20th century. She created what is known today as the 'English Country House Style' – a mixture of faded colours, chintzes and painted and antique furniture. In the garden, she worked in a formal yet romantic neo-Georgian style, which is still a strong spirit in British garden design. This book examines Nancy's contribution to the arts of interior decoration and garden design by chronicling her own homes and gardens – and her extraordinary life. Mirador, her family's Virginian country house, was to remain her key inspiration throughout her life. Nancy herself, her houses, her gardens and her friends are shown in an intriguing collection of photographs by distinguished photographers of the era, including Horst and Cecil Beaton. "Martin Wood has studied far and wide for his excellent new book on this remarkable person and the result is the best title on taste and design published this year."― Financial Times "This book is a rare treat, fluently written and superbly illustrated, with a strong emphasis on gardens."― Daily Telegraph "Knocks the hundreds of books on interiors and gardens for six. Her vivid personality - charming, stylish, wilful, rich and funny - comes through the pages via her achievements in decoration and gardening."― Spectator Martin Wood is a designer of textiles, interiors and gardens who also has a winning way with words.