Overview

Lost Gardens of London pays tribute to the evanescence of London's vast and varied garden legacy. Todd Longstaffe-Gowan explores gardens that range in date from the sixteenth to the twenty-first century, and from the capital's humble allotments and gardens behind terraced houses to defunct squares, amateur botanical gardens and aviaries, princely pleasure grounds, royal-palace gardens, artists' gardens and private menageries – gardens that either no longer exist or are unrecognisable today. Our fascination with lost gardens is often fuelled by our interest in reconstructing worlds that supply us with a powerful means of making sense of the past, and a way of reading history. In this beautiful and evocative book, illustrated with a variety of images including watercolours, coloured engravings and photographs, Longstaffe-Gowan reminds us of what a precious asset gardened green space is, and how it has contributed over the centuries to the quality of life and well-being of generations of inhabitants of the Metropolis. The book accompanies an exhibition at the Garden Museum, London, opening 23 October 2024 - 2 March 2025. Distributed for Modern Art Press

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9781738487806

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""Todd Longstaffe-Gowan, as much a lover of London as Pepys or Dr Johnson, conjures up for us, with a sorcerer's skill, green places and Thameside views now lost to history. A superb read, and illustrated throughout with beguiling and unexpected images.""—Flora Fraser “This appreciation of gardens lost and the vital role they played is a rallying call to protect what might otherwise be lost in the future.”—Jodie Jones, House & Gardens  

Author Information

Todd Longstaffe-Gowan is a landscape architect with an international practice based in London. He is gardens adviser to Historic Royal Palaces, lecturer at New York University (London), president of the London Gardens Trust, editor of the London Gardener, and author of several books, including The London Town Garden (Yale, 2001) and The London Square (Yale, 2012).

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