Yet why is he unknown when according to Gardeners Chronicle “few men in horticulture have been better known or more respected”? The Standard “confidently declared that Mr William Bull’s exhibition in King’s Road, Chelsea offers a sight unparalleled in the world”. The Morning Post too was impressed saying “it gives one the idea of fairyland.” Fellow nurseryman Benjamin Williams wrote it just shows “what the perseverance, courage, and enterprise of one man can do”.
His nursery was indeed “Horticulture in Excelsis”
What on earth did William Bull do to achieve such praise? And again that question: if he was that important why haven’t you heard of him?
I helped lead a Gardens Trust tour last autumn round gardens of the Loire Valley. Almost our last port of call was the great early Renaissance chateau of Amboise where a series of new gardens have been installed in recent years. It’s not often these days that money can be found for new garden projects like this especially in such a sensitive historic site. The chateau is former royal residence and overlooks a UNESCO World Heritage site, but its grounds were rather neglected until the great storm of 1999 wreaked such havoc that was no choice but a total rethink. It took a while to decide what to do but it was worth the wait and the new gardens have already been listed as being of national significance.
Although I knew the name Margery Fish I didnt really realise how significant a character she was until I heard Catherine Horwood talk about her in one of the Gardens Trusts on-line lectures earlier this year. Catherine recommended Margery’s first book – 
The Garden History Blog 
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