Phil Broomfield photo A traditional cottage garden frames Thomas Hardy’s birthplace cob and thatch cottage, built by his great-grandfather in 1800. Broomfield is known as the garden history detective. “I like to delve into the origins and history of historic gardens and landscapes and how the designs evolved. “I give a potted history on cottage gardens and talk about the influences in cottage garden design over the last 200 years,” Broomfield explains. Phil Broomfield photo Phil Broomfield, owner of The Garden Doctor in the U.K., is offering virtual garden history lectures to groups in Canada.