The Lost Garden of Avon

My public work often portrays past industries, forgotten spaces and the working landscape this vinyl drawing touches on all of those. Working from an 18th Century map of Stratford upon Avon, research revealed an image of a Victorian garden located in the loading bay and carparks off Sheep Street leading to where Escape Arts is now located.

This formal symmetrical garden contained a fountain and crescent, diamond, star and oval shaped flower beds.  I wanted to recreate this fascinating green space in its full colour glory, complete with ornamental fountain, I followed the origonal layout of the garden and filled the distinctive shaped beds with traditional Victorian planting designs, flowers and colours. Just round the corner is Shakespeares birthplace and garden, where I gathered  images of garden flowers to represent the type of flowers that may have existed.

The artwork is now installed in the location of the original garden, giving viewers the opportunity to visualise how the space looked. A tantalising glimpse colour and nature emerges from the behind the brickwork and archways hidden behind the shops.

I worked with Escape Arts participants to create handmade plant pots found in the garden at that time, which are also featured in the artwork.