Parrot tulips in the Museum knot garden

The Museum gardens provide a peaceful retreat for both visitors and wildlife alike, and are much appreciated by local office workers who enjoy a welcome lunch-break in a beautiful environment. The traffic may still speed by, but inside the garden walls, the pace eases a little and visitors enjoy the garden at whatever level they choose, from knowledgeable plantsmen inspecting flowers in detail, to those who understand little of horticulture but still enjoy relaxing in a garden environment.

Inner-city gardening can be a challenge, and this garden is perhaps more demanding than most, with thin, free-draining soil and poor air quality. Added to which, the period-theme of our planting in the knot garden means that plants are selected for historic interest, rather than on a ‘right plant right place’ basis, and they often become stressed, especially during hot summers.

Garden Museum's Seasonal Auricula Theatre April 2008

However, we also benefit from a microclimate that means we can grow tender and borderline hardy plants with ease. Banana, oleander, and olive thrive, Mirabilis jalapa, usually grown as an annual, appears year after year and we see agapanthus flowers almost every month. Iris germanica has been known to flower in March, nasturtium behaving as evergreen climbers and Phlomis fruticosa bloomed all last winter. We are particularly proud of an 8 year-old specimen of Echium fastuosum partnered by the structural Geranium maderense wrapping round the base of the west facing wall of the building.

The Museum is grateful to the band of volunteer gardeners who give time and energy each week, sweeping, watering, propagating and pruning to ensure the gardens are maintained in good condition.

The garden is currently home to our aritist in residence Charlotte Verity, who will be using the gardens as inspiration for an exhibition in 2011. Charlotte studied at the Slade under William Coldstream. Her most recent solo exhibtion at Browse and Darby gallery in 2007, was entitled London Garden. For further information please visit www.charlotteverity.co.uk or contact info@charlotteverity.co.uk / 07850 067854.

We also have a Horticultural Intern, Matthew Collins, who is working with us for a year. Matt will be working in the garden with our volunteers and also taking on placements with some of the gardening world's top designers and writers. Find out how his year is going on his blog: The Museum Gardener blog