Garden History: An Introduction



Overview

The formation of gardens large or small depended on a combination of architecture, horticulture, philosophy, botany, archaeology, art and a very fertile imagination.

This course will take a chronological approach to identify how gardens evolved over time from Roman gardens and their classical influences, through to the early 20th century. This will give you an opportunity to recognise the cyclical nature of garden designs over the centuries as people rebelled against the previous generation’s taste.

Although in the latter part of the course we will be focusing on British gardens, the gardens on mainland Europe and their influence will be woven into the timeline to demonstrate how ideas travelled back and forth between countries and cultures. We will set the gardens, people, and places within their social, political, economic and cultural context in order to enhance the student’s understanding of how certain gardens came about and why. Who did they benefit? How were they used?

Programme details

Course starts Tuesday 30 September 2025

This is an in-person course which requires your attendance at the weekly meetings in Oxford on Tuesdays, 4.30-6.30pm.

Week 1:

  • Roman gardens: Before and after the Fall of the Roman Empire - Roman gardens incorporated elements from other civilisations such as Egyptian, Persian and Greek.
  • Medieval gardens: The Not so dark ages - gardens of piety, utility and refuge.

Week 2:

  • Italian Renaissance Gardens: The ‘rebirth’ or Renaissance of the villa garden as a space for social and political posturing as well as a place for relaxation and conspicuous consumption.
  • 16th and 17th British century gardens: Designed for kings, queens and the nobility to impress by controlling nature, with ideas coming from Italy, France and the Netherlands.

Week 3:

  • 18th Century – Polite society, eclectic gardens and the transition from formality to the ‘natural style’ of the Landscape movement - A little wiggle here and a little wiggle there, nature improved, perfected and made profitable.
  • Regency gardens – The playfulness of the shrubbery. Humphrey Repton (1752 – 1818) and his designs for ‘Embellished neatness’.

Week 4:

  • Victorian gardens: Anything Goes: The revival of formality, new money, new plants, new horticultural and technical innovations. The emergence of the Anglo-Japanese garden.

Week 5:

  • Art versus Nature: Here we go again. The argument for a more natural style of planting. William Robinson (1838-1935), was he ahead of his time?
  • Edwardian gardens: Arts & Crafts and the renaissance of the Italian renaissance leading to the romantic chaos of a golden afternoon.

Certification

Digital badge

Upon successful completion of this course, you will be issued with an official digital badge from the Department for Continuing Education, University of Oxford. In order to be issued with your badge, you will need to have attended at least 80% of the course.

After the course, you will receive an email with a link and instructions on how to download your digital badge. You will be able to add this badge to your email signature and share it on social media if you choose to do so.

Fees

Description Costs
Course fee £180.00

Funding

If you are in receipt of a UK state benefit, you are a full-time student in the UK or a student on a low income, you may be eligible for a reduction of 50% of tuition fees. See details of our concessionary fees for short courses.

Tutor

Mrs Advolly Richmond

Advolly Richmond is an author, plants, garden and social historian with an MA in garden history. She regularly presents garden history features on Gardeners' World television programme. A Short History of Flowers: the stories that make our gardens was published in 2024. 

Course aims

  • To provide historical knowledge and an understanding of the development of gardens and landscapes.
  • To provide curated introduction to garden history with the use of some case studies to trace the evolution of garden styles and their quirky trends.  
  • To introduce some of the plants, people, places and events that have influenced gardens and gardening.
  • For the student to appreciate how the past informs the present in garden design and creation.

Teaching methods

Fully illustrated lectures which will encompass, art and architectural history, literature as well as general history. Occasional handouts will be provided including timelines, glossaries and an extended reading list for anyone wishing to pursue further research.

Discussions in class will be encouraged.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course students will have been given the opportunity to have learnt how to:

  • 'Read' and recognise the essential elements of designed landscapes/gardens and place them in their historical context.
  • Appreciate the importance of how and why the various trends in garden making were driven by the social, economic, cultural and political climate of the time.
  • Understand why the patronage of families and other wealthy individuals was so important in initiating garden, art and architectural creations throughout the centuries.

Assessment methods

This course is not accredited, so there are no assessments or coursework.

Application

Please use the 'Book now' button on this page. Alternatively, please complete an enrolment form.

Level and demands

No previous knowledge required, just a keeness to learn.

The Department's Weekly Classes are taught at first year undergraduate level.

 

Terms & conditions for applicants and students

Information on financial support