Contemporary calf binding. Large quarto. The perpetual diary contains annual, single line entries for each day of the year. Written in ink with some pencil entries, in three different hands. Robert Waring Darwin (1766-1848), doctor and father of the naturalist Charles Robert Darwin (1809-1882) purchased the land in 1796 and built the Mount around 1800. It was a large house and gardens overlooking the banks of the River Severn. Robert Darwin initiated the diary on 1 September 1838 and continued creating entries until 1 October 1846 with a gap between 11 May and 5 September. There are a few entries by the gardener, Abberley, and Robert's daughter Susan (1803-1866) until November 1848 when Robert died. The entries resume in Susan's hand until 1865. The diary details activities relating to the stocking, cultivation, harvesting and maintenance of the gardens and the annual cycle of activities in the grounds. It also includes references to plants grown from seeds brought back by Charles Darwin from South America and to other plants raised for him and trees grafted for him to plant in his garden.