Open today, Saturday 8 November

Cottage-style garden

A casual garden that nods to the countryside.

Date

10am-4.30pm, Tuesday to Sunday and Bank Holiday Mondays

Price

Free

A garden filled with greenery and flowers and a small brick path. In the background is an overground train station.
Gardens

In the early 1900s, as a reaction to the rigid Victorian style, gardens became increasingly informal. The Arts and Crafts movement encouraged relaxed planting using native British plants.

Large borders with drifting colours and soft forms became popular during the Edwardian period (1901–1910). Gardeners looked to English history for inspiration, and ‘old-fashioned’ plants were used to create the appearance of a cottage garden.

Pergolas, covered with wisteria and roses, fountains and formal ponds were common features. Although influenced by the countryside, this casual style could be replicated in smaller urban gardens.

A hand holding up a smartphone displaying information and an image of a terraced house from 1978, with the actual display blurred in the background.

Free digital guide

Explore Museum of the Home with our digital guide on Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and culture app.

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