Sometimes it seems like you can’t turn a corner in London without stumbling across another museum or gallery that you’d never heard of before. The Museum of Garden History isn’t nearly as well-known as it deserves to be, and it even has a pretty central location: although it’s theoretically situated in Lambeth, it’s just a walk across the bridge from Westminster. If that wasn’t enough, it’s not just a museum: it’s also a tiny but gorgeous park and, particularly in Summer, a venue for a great series of concerts.
(Picture by bhikku)
But first things first: the museum itself. For hundreds of years the building that now houses the museum was the parish church of St-Mary-at-Lambeth, until it closed down in 1972; in 1977 the building was rescued from a planned demolition, and reopened as what was then the world’s only Museum of Garden History.
The old stone and arches of the church make a beautiful setting for the collection, which is a relatively small one, but thorough and interesting. It ranges from eighteenth century seed catalogues to an ever-changing selection of bizarre archaic gardening implements like a cucumber straightener (yes, that was “a cucumber straightener”). There’s also an extensive library, though this isn’t always accessible by visitors.
If we were choosing a location for a series of summer concerts, we wouldn’t think to even invent somewhere like this: an old church building filled with garden gnomes and seventeenth-century watering pots, surrounded by tombs and beautiful plants and flowers, with a view of the Thames and the Houses of Parliament right outside. But we’re definitely glad that someone imagined it.
Coming up over the next few weeks, there’s Soweto Kinch, pixie-enthusiasts Circulus (in what is surely their ideal setting), Indigo Moss, and Tim Freedman. And once the main Summer Gig Series is over, it’s time for Garden History jazz in September.
The Museum of Garden History: Lambeth Palace Road, 10:30am to 5pm Tuesday to Sunday, entry £3 by donation (free entry to the shop and cafe).
The Summer Gig Series: Museum of Garden History, various dates from June to September, £6 to £15.
