A Botanist takes to Paint
I first came encountered David Stuart as a writer on garden history many years ago and was delighted to discover last year that he has now taken to paint . As a result I’m happy to announce that the summer exhibition at Town House shows recent work by David – botanist, author and now artist. Much of his work uses plants as a central motif and though treated with great expression, all are based on an intense knowledge of plant design and an equally intense love of their beauty.
David has always loved plants. After frequent painting trips to Kew Gardens as a child, he became a botanist studying plant structure and relationships and has a PhD from Edinburgh University, working at the Royal Botanic Garden. Thereafter, he spent many years as a writer and journalist specialising in gardens, garden history, plants and their influence on all our lives.
He has had columns in national newspapers and has published fifteen books, many hugely well reviewed. They include Georgian Gardens, Plants that Shaped our Gardens, Dangerous Garden, and Classic Garden Plans. Recently though, he has returned to painting and print making.
Exhibition runs at Town House 18th May – 8th September
Three Cans
Bee Urban
Come to Town House on Saturday 18th May and hear about bee-keeping in London from Bee Urban, who look after the hives on the roof of the National Theatre and the Southbank Centre – and see a mobile observation hive!
Based in Kennington Park, where they have turned a derelict site at the Old Keeper’s Lodge into a thriving community space, Bee Urban offers training in sustainable practice in bee-keeping and the urban environment. They also manage hives at various sites in London and work to enhance the environment and engage with local communities through diverse planting on housing estates, allotments and even rooftops! They will be talking about their work – and in particular the bees!
Bee Urban at Town House 18th May 2.30 – 4.30pm
Edible Landscapes
Create your own little Eden with fruit and nuts weighing down the branches of your trees and delicious, unusual edibles available all year round – without all the hassle of a vegetable patch!
Join Jo Homan at Town House at on 23rd May to learn about some edible perennial plants and trees, how to identify them and what to do with them: learn the basics of forest gardening – what makes them work, their structure and what they produce – and try some forest garden produce (a light lunch is included)
Jo Homan has been teaching people forest gardening skills since starting Edible Landscapes London in Finsbury Park in 2010. Among her favourite forest garden nibbles are lovage, saltbush and shasta daisy leaves; jostaberry, raspberry and medlar fruits; calendula, Judas tree and Alliumflowers; chestnuts and acorn nuts. Jo is also the Training Manager for The Orchard Project and enjoys teaching people about community orchards.
Edible Landscapes with Jo Homan 12.30pm 23rd May at Town House (light lunch included)
Book your tickets here:-
The Bethnal Green Mulberry
Town House will be highlighting the plight of the Bethnal Green Mulberry tree during the Chelsea Fringe festival 2019 with a window display featuring an amazing model of the tree. Come and learn about its history and hear the story of the campaign to save it in a talk at Town House on the 22ndMay.
The Gentle Author of Spitalfields Life traces the controversial saga of the Bethnal Green Mulberry, believed to be the oldest tree in the East End. Yet in spite of a Tree Protection Order and designation as a Veteran Tree, Tower Hamlets Council have granted permission to dig it up and although the Mulberry survived a bomb in World War Two, it is questionable whether it will survive being uprooted by the developers who want to build a block of luxury flats. Widely understood to have been planted by Bishop Bonner in 1540, recent research suggests the origin of the Bethnal Green Mulberry may be even earlier.
The talk at Town House is at 6.30pm on 22nd May and we’ll be toasting the tree with an appropriate mulberry beverage! Although the event is free, space is limited so please reserve your tickets on Eventbrite here:-
Nurses dancing round the tree when it put forth new growth in 1944.
Photo courtesy of Royal London Hospital Archives
Flower Market: Botanical Style at Home
As part of our Chelsea Fringe 2019 programme, we’re delighted to host local author Michelle Mason here on 21st May. She’ll be talking about her new book and demonstrating how she styles her plants and flowers for her homes
In 2013 designer and illustrator Michelle Mason co-founded Mason & Painter, a vintage shop on Columbia Road in east London, famed for its Sunday flower market. Her first book ‘Flower Market: Botanical Style at Home’ was published in April and draws on her design experience to create stunning combinations to show how to make the most of your fresh flowers and bring botanical style into the home
The wide variety of seasonal plants and flowers available in the flower market right outside her shop provide Michelle’s inspiration and right at the heart of her philosophy is buying seasonally from local shops and using any salvaged and reclaimed objects she can find.
Come along to Town House on the evening of 21st May to see her creating her wonderful arrangements using whatever pots and other old things she finds at Town House. Copies of Michelle’s book will be available for sale and signing and the £5 price of the ticket can be credited towards the purchase of a book.
As space is limited please reserve your tickets (redeemable), for Flower Market at 6.30pm on 21st May here on Eventbrite:-
Flower Market: Botanical Style at Home
Photo courtesy of Michelle Mason