Julius Caesar said that Britons ‘thought it wrong to partake of hare, cockerel, or geese, but they keep these instead for reasons of affection and pleasure’.

Throughout our history we have certainly admired birds and envied their brilliant plumage and ability to fly and we have a long and ongoing history of keeping all manner of birds for their beauty and companionship. The Garden Aviary shines a spotlight on the aviaries of private gardens and public parks. It will appeal to those interested in the social and cultural history of bird keeping or the history of garden buildings.

Illustrated with examples of aviaries both grand and humble, this is an exploration of the garden aviary built as status symbol or as a tool for conservation and the preservation of genetic diversity, but primarily, as Caesar thought, for reasons of affection and pleasure.