Presenting items ranging from the only surviving illustrated collection of herbal remedies from Anglo-Saxon England and the first gardening manual printed in 1564 alongside paintings, pamphlets and richly illustrated botanical works, the Gardening exhibition at The British Library in London, reveals how the nation’s favourite past time has contributed to social and political change throughout history.
From rural and urban gardens and allotments to indoor gardens and windowsills, the exhibition delves into how the act of gardening heals and sustains people in a multitude of ways. It explores how gardening brings people together, empowers communities and shapes our relationship with the natural world. It also considers gardening as a form of activism, as a means of challenging land ownership and highlighting social disparities, as well as the consequences of the international movement of plants for the environment and human societies.
The exhibition, which runs from the 2nd of May – 10th of August 2025, also features new short films produced in collaboration with the Coco Collective, a grass-roots gardening organisation with two Afro-diaspora led community gardens in London and a contemporary art piece by Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg that transforms how we see gardens and who we make them for.
With sustainability at the core of the exhibition, the design and build of Gardening (working title) has been guided by practices aimed at reducing the exhibition’s environmental impact.