Derek Fell

Derek Fell was a writer and photographer of garden designs, and the author of several books including the award-winning book, Beautiful Bucks County: Through Four Seasons. A Bucks County resident since 1964, Fell lived at historic Cedaridge Farm since 1990.
His choice to live in the region was based in part on the county's proximity to cultural and publishing centers and its natural beauty, allowing him to create the theme gardens he photographs for his books, calendars and articles. His work has been published worldwide. Several of his theme gardens are inspired by paintings of the French impressionist painters, and his book, Monet's Garden, is sold at the Monet Museum in Giverny, France.

Fell had always been interested in art, and his choice of vocation combined his love of flowers and gardens with his skill as a photographer and writer. He has lectured at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Renoir Museum in France and has had photographs featured in magazines such as Architectural Digest, New York Times Magazine and Gardens Illustrated. He has had the distinction of being the winner of more awards from the Garden Writer's Association of America than any other garden writer.

Education and Training
Educated in England, Scotland, and Germany

Teachers and Influences
E. O'Dowd Gallagher, British foreign correspondent; Harry Smith, British award-winning garden photographer; David Burpee, US seedsman and art patron; H. Thomas Hallowell, Jr., US businessman and art patron.

Connection to Bucks County
Derek Fell lives in Bucks County at historic Cedaridge Farm in Tinicum, a 24-acre farm that dates back to 1790. The farm provides him with the space he needs to practice creative gardening and to create theme areas to photograph artistically. Derek Fell has lived in the area since 1964 when he came to the United States from England to be the catalog manager for Burpee Seeds in Doylestown. He has lived in Doylestown, Carversville, and Buckingham. He chose to live in Bucks County for several reasons: the scenic beauty of the area, good cultural activities, a closeness to the publishing world in New York, and a climate that encourages creative gardening. He loves the four distinct seasons, as portrayed in his award-winning book, Beautiful Bucks County: Through Four Seasons.

Colleagues and Affiliations
Paula Chamlee, photographer
Michael D. Smith, photographer

Major Group Exhibitions
Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1970, 1994
Bucks County Garden Fair, Doylestown, Pennsylvania, 1994, 1996
Upstairs Gallery, Lahaska, Pennsylvania, 1996
Bucks County Garden Fair, Doylestown, Pennsylvania, 1994, 1996

Selected books by Derek Fell
Vegetables: How to Select, Grow & Enjoy, 1982
Deerfield: An American Garden Through Four Seasons, 1986
Garden Accents, 1987
Three Year Garden Journal, 1989
Ornamental Grass Gardening, 1989
Azaleas, Camellias & Rhododendrons, 1989
550 Home Landscaping Ideas, 1991
Beautiful Bucks County, 1991
Renoir's Garden, 1991
The Impressionist Garden, 1994
Gardens of Philadelphia & The Delaware Valley, 1995
Secrets of Monet's Garden, 1997
Rose Gardening, 1997
Perennial Gardening, 1997

Major Television Performances
Host, Step-by-Step Gardening, QVC Home Shopping Network

Major Awards for Photography
First Place, Best Magazine Photography, Garden Writers Association of America, Seven Pines Farm, Architectural Digest, 1983; Magnolia Garden, Americana Magazine, 1984; Millstream Garden, Architectural Digest, 1995
First Prize, Best Calendar Photography, Garden Writers Association of America, 1987, 1989, 1991
Gold Award, Best Calendar Photography, Calendar Marketing Association, 1991
Mead Award for excellence in printing, design, and photography, for Beautiful Bucks County: Through Four Seasons, 1992
First Place, Best Book Photography, Garden Writers Association of America, The Impressionist Garden, 1995
First Prize, Best Magazine Photography, Garden Writers, Association of America, Magnolia at Dawn, Veranda Magazine, 1995
Contemporary American Photographers, recognized by Palm Press, 1995

Major Awards for Garden Design
First Prize, Best Interpretation of an Impressionist Garden, Lifestyle Landscape Design Contest, 1991
Best of Show, Best Garden Design, professional category, Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, 1994
Best Water Garden Design, Landscape Design, Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, 1994
Best Flower Garden Design, Landscape Design, Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, 1994

Teaching and Professional Appointments
Derek Fell has lectured at the Smithsonian Institution, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Barnes Foundation, the Renoir Foundation in France, Longwood Gardens, and at many other institutions.