For Sir John Soane, Pitzhanger’s gardens were as important as the Manor, which he designed as a space for hospitality and entertainment centred around food. In his kitchen gardens, he grew a variety of herbs and vegetables, and he kept the lake stocked with fish not only to provide dinner but also an opportunity for social interaction.
The English Landscape tradition has been described as Britain’s greatest contribution to the arts. The early eighteenth century was pivotal in the evolution of the English garden and many of our current perceptions of landscape stem from eighteenth-century theory and practice.
A deep dive into some of the incredible stories of love, loss and longing that can be found in the collection at Ham House.
But what was it that set Garrick so far above his peers?