A People's Arcadia: The Ian Hamilton Finlay Garden at Luton

Aphrodite Ian Hamilton Finlay Image: Kate Harwood

The IHF garden at Stockwood, commissioned and funded by the local council, is a complete programme of sculptures designed by Ian Hamilton Finlay and complemented by planting by Bob Burgoyne, Master Gardener at the council and very much in sympathy with Finlay's vision. The site is not only in a public park, but also an 18th century parkland. The garden draws on the work of Claude Lorraine and the English Landscape Movement and is imbued with the classical world of deities drawn from Ovid's Metamorphoses. This talk looks at the commissioning of the garden, its influences, other examples in Finlay's oeuvre and its importance, culminating with it being added to the Register in 2020 by Historic England at Grade II*. Luton Culture, who run the garden, have set up a small group to promote its rejuvenation with the help of HE and the speaker.

Kate Harwood has been involved with this garden for many years, researching and raising awareness of its significance. She is Conservation & Planning Officer of Hertfordshire Gardens Trust and a member of The Gardens Trust Conservation Committee.  She has an MA in Garden History from Birkbeck and taught on their certificate course, and at ICE Cambridge for several years.  She now lectures, writes and researches garden history as well as helping residents of Hertfordshire to protect and enhance our historic parks and gardens.

Regrettably for copyright reasons this video recording is not available for public viewing