This lecture explores gardens through the senses of the Impressionists from three continents – Europe, North America and Australia – enjoying the essentially similar pleasures of the garden but engaging with the light from their skies in order to create very different sensations. French Impressionists such as Monet, Renoir, Berthe Morisot and Caillebotte, and the Americans who came to Giverny staying at the Hotel Baudy but not invited into Monet’s garden. Australian John Peter Russell who made his home in France. American gardens include those of the poet Celia Thaxter painted by Childe Hassam and John Henry Twachtman as well as Mary Cassatt. In Australia Fred and Annie McCubbin’s welcoming gardens at Fontainebleau take centre place as well as the canvases of Tom Roberts, Arthur Streeton and Charles Conder. The enclosure of the garden acts like a picture frame showcasing a living canvas that exudes the individuality, vision and taste of its tenants, their family, friends and lifestyles. We will briefly explore their favourite flowers which, in the simple words of the greatest Impressionist and gardener Monet, provided motifs to paint.

Wednesday June 9th
Time: 6pm
Venue: Online
Price: $12 members and Friends RBG, Non-members $15

Trybooking link – https://www.trybooking.com/BQWPH
Booking note: If you choose to attend online a Zoom link will be sent to you separately after bookings close

Caroline Holmes is a Garden Historian, author of 12 books including ‘Monet at Giverny’ and ‘Impressionists in their Gardens’. She was keynote speaker at the International Water Gardens Conference held at Giverny in 2019. Course Director for University of Cambridge ICE, accredited lecturer for The Arts Society and has spoken on every continent except Antarctica. Her design consultancies range from Human Renaissance gardens surrounding Notre Dame-de-Calais to devising the planting for The Poison Garden within The Alnwick Garden in Northumberland. Academic but not dry, she likes to sift the humour from the humus. www.horti-history.com