Join the Garden Museum online on November 25 for an evening with Alan Titchmarsh, and take a magical mystery tour through his personal archives, which he has donated to the Garden Museum’s Archives of Garden Design. He will take us on a journey through those archives, sharing highlights from his own collection, brought to life with stories, voices, and unexpected discoveries. Joining him is Garden Museum Archivist Alexandra Sullivan, who will reveal behind-the-scenes insights and favorite finds, which three special guests share how the archives have shaped their work. £10 Livestream. Book tickets HERE
Join The Garden Museum on November 11 at 2 pm Eastern for the launch of the second edition of The Dynamic Landscape, a landmark book exploring ecologically inspired planting design.
The evening will be chaired by Arit Anderson, garden designer, writer, and presenter on BBC Gardeners’ World, and will bring together leading voices in the field of landscape architecture and ecological planting.
Authors Nigel Dunnett and James Hitchmough will discuss how naturalistic planting has evolved from the late 20th century into a distinctive and influential design aesthetic, shaping sustainable approaches to landscape design worldwide.
They will be joined by Dr Helen Hoyle (University of Sheffield), whose research examines the social dimensions of urban planting and our relationships with nature in cities. £10 Livestream (watch live or on demand). Book tickets HERE
Join The Garden Museum on October 28 for a Tuesday evening talk exploring Little Sparta, the extraordinary garden created by poet and artist Ian Hamilton Finlay.
Nestled in the Pentland Hills of Scotland, Little Sparta is more than a garden – it is Ian Hamilton Finlay’s lifelong artwork, where landscape, sculpture, and language are woven together into a living poem. On this Tuesday evening at the Garden Museum, and livestreamed, Ian’s son Alec Finlay, Dr Patrick Eyres, and Tim Richardson invite you to discover the story of this unique place; from classical references and radical ideas, to moments of serenity and provocation, and the community of artists, gardeners, and thinkers it continues to inspire.
Through images, anecdotes, and reflections, our speakers will bring to life the creation and legacy of Little Sparta, offering insight into Ian Hamilton Finlay’s vision and the continuing relevance of his work. This event is ideal for anyone interested in art, gardens, poetry, or the fertile spaces where they meet.
This is an opportunity to discover more about how the garden is conserved and maintained now, and what the next chapter in its life is. To register, visit www.gardenmuseum.org. £10 Livestream
Join The Garden Museum in London online on October 21 at 2 pm Eastern for an inspiring evening with award-winning garden designer Sarah Price, renowned for her painterly planting style and collaborations with artists and architects. Sarah Price – whose Nurture Garden at the 2023 Chelsea Flower Show was inspired by Benton End – has been consulting with Head Gardener James Horner on the redesign of the historic walled garden at Benton End.
Once the home of artists Cedric Morris and Arthur Lett Haines, and the East Anglian School of Painting and Drawing, in this special evening talk, Sarah will reflect on how Benton End’s artistic legacy informs her approach, and how gardens can carry forward a spirit of creativity.
Whether you are a gardener, artist, or simply curious about the meeting points of art and landscape, this is a unique chance to hear from one of the most imaginative voices in contemporary garden design. £10 Livestream. Register at www.gardenmuseum.org.uk
The five part Gardens Trust and Garden Museum series on William Andrews Nesfield concludes on October 14 with a round table discussion. This will draw together some of the themes and trends that have emerged from the series, highlight and debate further Nesfield designs, and share ideas for using the archives to re-examine Nesfield’s style, his significance during his lifetime and his legacy today.
Participants will include Ben Dark, author, head gardener, award-winning broadcaster and landscape historian, who gave the keynote talk at the Garden Museum’s launch of the Nesfield archives; Advolly Richmond, plant, garden and social historian, who has studied Nesfield’s designs at Alton Towers; Christina Hourigan, whose doctoral research includes examining Nesfield’s work at Kew; Rob Hillman, archivist at the Garden Museum; and some of the speakers from the earlier sessions in the series.
If you are involved in any way with individual Nesfield commissions (for instance as researcher, guide, gardener or volunteer), we’d be delighted if you’d join this session and share information about your site. This ticket is for this individual session and costs £8. Attendees will be sent a Zoom link 2 days (and again a few hours) prior to the start of the talk ( and a link to the recorded session will be sent shortly after each session and will be available for 2 weeks. Register HERE.
This October 7 Gardens Trust and Garden Museum online talk, illustrated with plans, drawings and photographs from the RHS Lindley Library will look at the challenges William Andrews Nesfield faced when commissioned by the Royal Horticultural Society to design its new garden at the heart of the ‘Albertopolis’ cultural quarter in Kensington. The talk will look at the conflicting agendas and personalities of the many people Nesfield had to work with and the factors influencing the design and planting choices eventually settled on. Although the garden was only in existence for forty years, it had far-reaching consequences for Nesfield, the RHS and horticulture generally.
Fiona Davison has been Head of Libraries and Exhibitions at the RHS since 2012. Prior to that she worked in museums for more than 20 years, including Hackney Museum and the Museum of London. She has published two books on garden history: Hidden Horticulturists: the working-class gardeners who shaped Britain’s gardens (Atlantic Books, 2019) and An Almost Impossible Thing: pioneer women gardeners (Little Toller, 2023). She regularly gives talks on garden history at the Lindley Library and external venues.
This ticket is for this individual session and costs £8. Attendees will be sent a Zoom link 2 days (and again a few hours) prior to the start of the first talk, and a link to the recorded session will be sent shortly after each session and will be available for 2 weeks.
Discover one of England’s most admired historic gardens in this special livestreamed event dedicated to the story of Melbourne Hall Garden. Join The Garden Museum on September 30 at 2 pm Eastern for the launch of the new title Melbourne Hall Garden, with author Jodie Jones, photographer Andrea Jones, and chaired by George Plumptre.
Famed for its sweeping yew tunnel and Robert Bakewell’s extraordinary wrought-iron arbor – the celebrated ‘Birdcage’ that made his name – Melbourne’s garden has changed little since the early 18th century. Yet in the 20th century, it underwent extensive restoration, and under the care of Lord and Lady Ralph Kerr it continues to flourish. Unusual specimen trees, shrubs, and herbaceous borders have been introduced, bringing fresh botanical interest to this classical landscape.
This talk will explore Melbourne Hall Garden’s layered history and celebrate its ongoing evolution. Join us for an evening of history, horticulture, and artistry in one of England’s great gardens. Book the livestream (£10) at https://gardenmuseum.org.uk/product/livestream-melbourne-hall-30-09-25/
Join award-winning garden designer Tom Massey and the Royal Horticultural Society online on October 3 for the launch of his new book, RHS Waterwise Garden: Sustain Your Garden Through Drought & Flood.
Water is vital to a flourishing garden. In Waterwise Garden, multi award-winning garden designer Tom Massey explains how to design a garden that will use water efficiently, withstand drought and mitigate flooding.
With a changing climate, it can be difficult to know how to create a beautiful garden that is fit to thrive in an uncertain future. In this talk, Tom shares practical design and planting tips that will help transform any outside space into a water-absorbing, water-saving haven.
Published in association with the RHS and written in close collaboration with its science team, RHS Waterwise Garden explores why we must value water, how thoughtful garden design can build resilience, and what gardeners can do to be more waterwise at home. From enhancing the permeability of hard surfaces and managing water flow, to selecting plants and features that absorb excess rain, Tom Massey offers innovative solutions for gardens of every size.
This Gardens Trust online talk, presented in conjunction with the Garden Museum, on September 23, will examine the commissions by the 7th Earl of Carlisle for Nesfield to transform the gardens at Castle Howard in the middle of the 19th century. His work included two large fountains, a parterre, and extensions to the south waterways over the course of fifteen years. The copious correspondence in the archives at Castle Howard chronicles these projects, including the disastrous over-run in costs, and the technical challenges for supplying the fountains. Acclaimed in its day, Nesfield’s garden at Castle Howard remains one of his most successful commissions, notwithstanding the alterations in subsequent years. The talk will also draw from Nesfield’s papers formerly in a private family archive and now in the collection of the Garden Museum and assess the present state of knowledge about this major landscape designer of Victorian England.
Christopher Ridgway has been curator at Castle Howard since 1985, and has published widely on its architecture, landscapes and collections, including several essays on Nesfield. He is chair of the Yorkshire Country House Partnership, and adjunct professor in the history department at Maynooth University. His book, Castle Howard, A Grand Tour of England’s Finest Country House will be published in November 2025.
This ticket is for this individual session and costs £8. Attendees will be sent a Zoom link 2 days (and again a few hours) prior to the start of the first talk (If you do not receive this link, please contact us), and a link to the recorded session will be sent shortly after each session and will be available for 2 weeks. Register through Eventbrite HERE.
This summer, from August 23 through September 7, the Garden Museum presents a special pop-up exhibition in the Magazine Space celebrating the remarkable life and legacy of Rachel ‘Bunny’ Lambert Mellon – renowned garden designer, philanthropist and patron of the arts who shaped some of the 20th century’s most iconic landscapes, including the White House Rose Garden, now destroyed.
In collaboration with the British design house de Gournay and the Oak Spring Garden Foundation, Bunny Mellon: A Life in Bloom offers a rare glimpse into the world of one of the 20th century’s most influential horticultural figures.
At the heart of the exhibition are exquisite works of art, rare manuscripts and botanical illustrations from Mrs. Mellon’s personal collection – now housed at the Oak Spring Garden Library in Virginia. These treasured pieces served as inspiration for de Gournay’s new hand-painted wallpaper and porcelain collection, which pays homage to Mrs. Mellon’s enduring passion for gardens, craftsmanship and the natural world. To coincide with the exhibition, we’re hosting a special evening on September 2 celebrating the life and legacy of Bunny Mellon.
This special event will include contributions from designer and author Charlotte Moss, whose career spans over three decades and is considered one of the most celebrated and respected interior designers in America. Charlotte will be joined by Sir Peter Crane and Rachel Heslop of the Oak Spring Garden Foundation, offering personal insights into Mellon’s visionary world. Discover the story behind her private garden at Oak Spring, her extraordinary botanical library, and the new Bunny Mellon Collection by de Gournay, a tribute in hand-painted wallpaper and porcelain to her love of plants, art, and the handmade.
Join us for a chance to explore how Mellon’s legacy continues to inspire beauty, creativity, and care for the natural world. To book the livestream, visit www.gardenmuseum.org/uk £10. The livestream will be recorded and you may watch on demand.
