Join garden historian Francesca Murray for our new study afternoon as we delve into the Victorian era to chart the rise and intersection between professional and amateur gardening in Britain.

From Repton to Paxton to Hibberd, we will look at the prominent figures of this period who helped to shape British gardening today, with the help of the collections of the RHS Lindley Library.

Starting with the Great Exhibition in 1851, we will take a look at the importance of flower shows, the emergence of gardening careers, and the establishment of the RHS and related learned institutions.

This session will be made up of a lecture by Francesca, followed by a tour of selected works from the RHS Lindley Library collections, including books by Humphrey Repton, Adveno Brooke, Jane Loudon and our Periodicals Collection.

There will be an opportunity to ask questions throughout this session. There will be regular breaks, and light refreshments will be served.

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Speaker

Francesca Murray - Francesca studied horticulture and garden design at Berkshire Agriculture College before running her own garden design business. Francesca has an MA in Garden History and a PhD from Queen Mary’s University of London, where she researched nineteenth-century gardeners and nurserymen. She is a trustee of the Gardens Trust and speaker for Perennial.

RHS Lindley Library - Our beautiful library in central London holds world-renowned collections of rare and modern books, botanical art, photography and archives. Discover more about our library on the RHS website.

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Event Details

Tickets for this event are limited and must be purchased in advance. Tickets are £20 for RHS members and students, and £25 for non-members. The ticket cost supports the RHS Lindley Library.

The session will begin at 1:30pm, with doors opening at 1.15pm. This event will take place between the Library and the Council Chamber.

Please note that due to the nature of the Edwardian building, it is necessary for participants of the event to be able to independently manage stairs.

Discover more events at the Lindley Library with Lindley Live and Lindley Late.

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Contact

For any questions, including accessibility enquiries, please email library@rhs.org.uk

Discover more about the RHS Lindley Library via our website, social media and new Digital Collections.

The image in the banner is a chromolithograph of Alton Gardens from E. Adveno Brooke, The Gardens of England, 1856-7. RHS Lindley Collections: Find more inspiration with the RHS Digital Collections.

Lindley Learn - The Victorians and the Rise of Professional Gardening