The first years of the Hobart Town colony were focused on survival, utilitarianism and self-sufficiency in a foreign, unforgiving landscape. But as gardens became more productive and both the settlers and their plants adapted to life in a distant land, the early gardeners and nurserymen began to develop these outdoor spaces as sources of leisure and delight. Gardeners, Plant Collectors, Friends: Hobart Town and Beyond is the product of more than 20 years of careful research. Ann Cripps has profiled and interwoven the stories of over 25 men and women of note who contributed to the horticultural history of Van Diemen's Land, delving into early books, letters, diaries and other rare manuscripts to bring them to life.