Monthly Archives: November 2020

Fair and Square

Over the last couple of months I’ve done a series of posts about the history of the London square.  We looked at the origins of the square as an architectural form  in the 17thc, then  the development of planting in … Continue reading

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The Wizard Earl & his miniature conundrum

This painting has intrigued me since I first saw it, and I’ve included it in lectures on both Elizabethan gardens and art history, for reasons that I hope will soon become apparent.  The sitter [or rather the recliner] is Henry … Continue reading

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Movers and Shakers

Last week’s post ended with the image printed in 1828 of  Sir Henry Stuart’s balance-men being catapulted through the air while trying to move a tree, but over the following twenty years or so  gardeners, foresters and landscapers invented a … Continue reading

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Transplanting Trees

  A 250 year old wild pear tree hit the news headlines recently [Oct 20th 2020] for the second time in recent years.  In 2015 it was voted Britain’s Tree of the Year but the latest mention was no cue … Continue reading

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