Böcker av Todd Longstaffe-Gowan

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

A highly original examination of a series of unique gardens made by English eccentrics from the seventeenth to the early twentieth centuries

Modern-day London abounds with a multitude of gardens, enclosed by railings and surrounded by houses, which attest to the English love of nature. This title delves into the history, evolution, and social implications of squares, which have been an important element in the planning and expansion of London since the early 17th century.

An account of the development of the private garden in London. Recognizing the contribution of domestic gardens to the texture of 18th-and early 19th-century London, the author explores in detail the small gardens, their owners and their significance to the development of the metropolis.