When photographer Cecil Beaton moved to Reddish House in Wiltshire in 1947, he wrote, “I am the proud owner of an exquisite country seat… it is the beginning of a new interest, and I am thrilled at the prospect.”
Discover the gardens at Reddish with Luke Edward Hall designer of the Cecil Beaton’s Garden Party exhibition, and explore the romantic country garden which so inspired Beaton’s later creative work. The Queen Anne style house is complete with a tiled indoor winter garden, a cutting garden blooming with roses and peonies, a lush, peaceful water garden, and punctuated by amorphously sculpted topiary.
Cecil Beaton’s Garden Party
Best known for his iconic fashion photography, Cecil Beaton had a bouquet of creative talents: he was also an accomplished costume and set designer for film, theatre and ballet, and a gifted artist. Open 14 May – 21 September 2025, Cecil Beaton’s Garden Party is the first exhibition to examine the common thread weaving through Beaton’s work: gardens and flowers.
Photographs, paintings, drawings, costume and set design explore the role flowers played in developing Cecil Beaton’s creative practice; from the lavish floral installations he created for parties with flowers from his own gardens, to painted and fresh flowers used as backdrops for fashion photography and royal portraits, to the famous floral costumes in My Fair Lady.
Tracing Beaton’s horticultural journey through his gardens at Ashcombe House and Reddish House in Wiltshire, the exhibition includes his personal diaries, photographs of friends and family gathering in his gardens, opera and ballet costume sketches and dresses of his own design.
Curated by Garden Museum Curator Emma House and designed by artist and designer Luke Edward Hall.
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Luke Edward Hall
Bio »Luke Edward Hall
Luke Edward Hall is an English artist, designer and columnist. Luke’s philosophy is shaped by his love of storytelling, nature and fantasy. His work is often inspired by mythology and folklore, filtered through a lens of irreverent romanticism.