•The first garden history of the remote island St Helena, in the middle of the South Atlantic Ocean•St Helena became a plant resting place in the 18th century for trade fleets carrying plants and spices from the east on the way to Europe •As a result the island became a botanical hub and developed extraordinarily botanically diverse gardens•Fascinating addition to the literature on St Helena, away from military history, and based on primary research by the author •A botanical exploration and history of the island’s native and introduced flora•Illustrated throughout with stunning drawings, maps, and archival manuscript material