Book grew from love of gardens

Press, 16 December 1985, Page 16

Book grew from love of gardens

By ROBIN BRISTOW “The Oldest Garden in China,” a children’s book which has just reached the shelves, owes its existence to the author’s having a fascination for hidden gardens.

Mr Anthony Holcroft of Tuahiwi, near Rangiora, said the title came first and then the story gradually began to unfold in his mind. Hidden gardens found be-

hind a big hedge or gate were a magnet and helped spin the tale of a jealous Chinese emperor. The book, colourfully illustrated by a Christchurch graphic designer, Fifi Colston, is Mr Holocroft’s second children’s book. His first, “The Old Man and the Cat,” was released about this time last year and was also illustrated by Fifi Colston. The illustrations reflect the pleasure of the story as it unfolds. The jealous emperor has a beautiful garden, but hears a report that there is one more beautiful beyond the mountains. He becomes obsessed and sets out to find it it with the intention of destroying it if it is more beautiful than his own. The book tells of his journey. The story was written by Mr Holcroft about two to three years ago. Fifi Colston began working on the illustrations about the end of last year, work which took about six months.

Writing was something that came naturally to Mr Holcroft. His first works that were published were in a book of short stories and poems by Dorothy Butler. His leaning toward children’s books came when he

and his wife, Julie, had a family and one of the children had difficulty reading.

“I decided to write a little story. It was just something I wanted to do that came naturally,” he said. Mr Holcroft, who has lived at Tuahiwi since 1968, is writing scripts for a television series called “Tales of the Mist,” a series full of magic and enchantment. The series, which will be produced by Kim Gabara, is still in the preliminary stages and may possibly be screened sometime next year. Mr Holcroft, who writes for up to two to three hours a day, is finding the new visual discipline stimulating. Most of the series is set in New Zealand and amalgamates traditional elements of fairy tale. Plans are underway to produce a collection of the stories on the “Tales of Mist” and also a second collection for older children. The second collection will be basically realistic stories, blended with some elements of fantasy.

“The Oldest Garden in China” is published by Whitcoulls Publishers and is bound in a hard, glossy cover. It sells at $15.95.