Surrey ~ 
Heritage 
Landscape Gardens

The Gardens of Surrey 
A lack of good agricultural land and sparseness of population continued in Surrey's history for so long that one particular advantage was reaped  - it enabled the execution of pioneer experiments in landscape design.  This in turn led to the development of garden suburbs where Surrey led the world.  

Cobham was inspired by the paintings of Claude and converted into three-dimensions by Hamilton and William of Kent. These gardens were recently restored and opened to the public.   Most of the great English landscape gardeners had a hand in the fashioning of Kew Gardens, the most important in the country, where Sir William Chambers and Lancelot Brown rivalled each other in new works.  Brown went onto work at Clandon, Gatton, Addington, and Claremont for rich patrons.  Winkworth Arboretum and Road Beautifying Association was founded by Wilfred Fox and the Royal Horticultural Society settled its gardens at Wisley.  
See our page on Museums, Exhibitions and Gardens for more information

Most important of all recent work in Surrey landscape gardens was completed by the amateur painter and local historian Gertrude Jekyll who settled at Munstead in 1878.  She became the early patron of Edwin Lutyens of Thursley, the best known well regarded Surrey architect.  With him she developed in practice her theories of colour perspective and the true relationship of house to naturalised garden.   Their work was imitated by the new suburban gardeners spreading over the county by the end of the C19 and then throughout the country and the United States.

The third group of buttons in the margin show this subject's linked pages - so click, read on and enjoy!

Top of Page