Women in Garden History Archives

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Articles found in Topic Tag: Women in Garden History

People

Elsie Wagg

The Hermitage was Elsie Wagg’s much-loved Sussex home, but her garden inspired something much bigger. In 1926, she came up with an idea that would open hundreds of gardens across England and Wales

People

Mary Somerset and the Cultivation of Botanical Knowledge

In the late 17th century, Mary Somerset, Duchess of Beaufort, described gardening as her “innocent diversion”, yet this apparently genteel pastime became an ambitious enterprise of cultivation, collecting and botanical investigation.

Topics

Origins of the National Garden Scheme

In 1927, something rather unusual was happening in gardens across England and Wales. Private gardens, normally hidden behind gates and walls, were opening their doors to the public – all in aid of nursing charities.

People

Margery Fish

Without any previous experience of gardening, Margery Fish made one of the most celebrated informal gardens of the mid-20th century and used her writing skills to share what she had learnt in the process

Places

East Lambrook Manor Gardens

When she created East Lambrook Manor Garden, from a farmyard and a rubbish heap, Marjorie Fish developed a new cottage garden style that had a huge influence on garden owners of the time and is still relevant today

Places

Upton Grey Manor Gardens

The Edwardian gardens at Upton Grey Manor House in Hampshire display the talent and artistry of the garden designer Gertrude Jekyll and remain a delight to wander round and explore

People

Mavis Batey

After her career as a World War II codebreaker, Mavis went on to be at the forefront of the movement to protect historic designed landscapes, helping to ensure the survival of many important gardens for the future.

Periods

Interwar Gardens

The Interwar Years (1918–1939) marked a pivotal shift in garden design, as landscapes responded to both personal grief and broader cultural transformation.

People

Ellen Wilmott

In a time when women were expected to stay in the drawing room, Ellen Ann Willmott (1858–1934) was digging in the dirt, often quite literally reshaping the landscape of British gardening.