Jean Cooke: Ungardening

In summer 2023 the Garden Museum presented the first exhibition focusing on the magnificent garden paintings of Jean Esme Oregon Cooke RA (1927-2008).

Cooke was not a conventional gardener, once listing “ungardening” as her hobby in Who’s Who. But she was very reliant upon her gardens for the emotional support and creative inspiration they provided. Bringing together Cooke’s lyrical garden paintings and expressive portraiture, Ungardening offered an opportunity to discover rarely seen works by a historically underrated artist.