Art of the Garden

Art of the Garden is an exhibition examining the relationship between the garden and British art over the past two hundred years.

This exhibition explores the impact of the garden on British art over the past two hundred years.

During this time the role of the garden has changed fundamentally. It has become an integral part of many people’s lives, the lifeblood of local communities, and a source of relaxation and leisure. More controversially, it is also an emblem of national identity, a target for commercial enterprise and an object of intense media interest.

The exhibition is divided into five sections, each of which is introduced through one or two highlighted works. Each section explores an aspect of the myriad ways in which artists have responded to the garden in Britain, visually, emotionally, intellectually and aesthetically. The artists range from John Constable to Ian Hamilton Finlay, from Beatrix Potter to Marc Quinn. What unites them all is their common fascination with the garden as a means of expressing some of their most cherished artistic beliefs.