The Arts and Crafts Movement sought a return to vernacular traditions in the face of increasing industrialization. It thrived for two decades or so around the turn of the twentieth century, although its effect is still obvious today in many decorative arts. In the garden, the movement was most clearly articulated through the work of William Robinson (1838-1935) and Gertrude Jekyll (1843-1932). Their example was followed by a plethora of British architects and designers into the middle of the 20th century and beyond, and their influence spread to Europe, the US and further afield. What we today identify as Arts and Crafts gardens are perhaps typified by a geometric layout of compartments in close relationship with the house, alongside the use of architectural features in local materials and abundant, color-themed planting.

In this series, we will examine the origins of the Arts and Crafts garden, consider the work of Robinson and Jekyll in detail, and survey some of the many other British garden-makers who were influenced by the movement. The series will end with an international flavor, exploring the work of an American designer who was a life-long admirer of Robinson and Jekyll.

This ticket is for this individual talk (Click HERE) costs £8, and you may purchase tickets for other individual sessions, or you may purchase a ticket for the entire fifth series of 5 talks in our History of Gardens Course at £35 via the link here. (Gardens Trust members £6 each or all 5 for £26.25). Ticket holders can join each session live and/or view a recording for up to 2 weeks afterwards. Ticket sales close 4 hours before the talk.

Attendees will be sent a Zoom link 2 days prior to the start of the talk, and again a few hours before the talk (If you do not receive this link, please contact us). A link to the recorded session will be sent shortly after each session and will be available for 2 weeks.

The final talk in this series will be given by The Garden Club of the Back Bay’s own Judith Tankard. Beatrix Farrand (1872-1959) was one of the first landscape architects in the United States. She began her practice in the 1890s and retired in 1950. During these years she had a thriving practice with a broad range of important clients, including Mildred Bliss at Dumbarton Oaks, her most famous commission. She was a life-long admirer of Gertrude Jekyll and William Robinson. In the 1950s, she acquired Jekyll’s archives of plans and photographs which she subsequently donated to the University of California, Berkeley, where they can be studied today.

Judith B Tankard is a landscape historian and preservation consultant. She received a M.A. In Art History from the Institute of Fine Arts, New York University and taught at the Landscape Institute of Harvard University for over 20 years. She received a Gold Medal from the Massachusetts Horticultural Society and was recently named an Honorary Member of the Garden Club of America. She is the author of twelve prize-winning books on landscape history, including Beatrix Farrand: Garden Artist, Landscape Architect (The Monacelli Press, 2022) and Gardens of the Arts and Crafts Movement (Harry N Abrams, 2004, revised 2nd ed Timber Press, 2018). She also writes articles and book reviews for Hortus. She lives in the Boston, Massachusetts, area and has a small garden on Martha’s Vineyard. Her new book Gertrude Jekyll at Munstead Wood, with co-author Martin Wood, is scheduled for publication in Spring 2025.

Image: Beatrix Farrand’s cool borders at Garland Farm, photo ©Judith Tankard