Two new exhibitions exploring the healing power of gardens and nature are opening this September at RHS Garden Wisley, Surrey, and in Lewisham, south east London.
Both displays are the result of a collaboration between community groups, creative practitioners and the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) to create a modern-day herbal, showcasing through various art forms the plants that are important to individuals and communities today. Each project concludes in an exhibition in its local area and images from these exhibitions will feed into a digital display, ‘A Modern-Day Herbal’ which will ultimately be added to the RHS Lindley Library collection in 2026.
Traditional herbals were botanical encyclopaedias, containing information about plants and their different medicinal uses. Predating modern scientific medicine, these beautifully illustrated books often mixed careful observation of plants with myth and magic.
The two exhibitions are:
‘Nature’s Medicine: The Making of a Modern-Day Herbal’, The Old Laboratory, RHS Garden Wisley, 7th September - 26th January 2025
Created by a group from the Walton Charity alongside creative practitioner Anna Jones, this exhibition explores what a modern-day herbal could mean, encouraging visitors to consider not only the physical health benefits of plants, but also the healing potential of plants, gardens and green spaces for our mental wellbeing.
The RHS holds a rich collection of historic herbals in its libraries, some of which will feature in the display. Exhibition highlights include:
- Well-known herbals by Nicholas Culpeper, John Gerard, and an expanded version of the famous A Curious Herbal by Elizabeth Blackwell
- Original artwork created by the Walton Charity group participants, including poetry inspired by their local area and cyanotypes – one of the oldest forms of camera-less printing - made using plants and objects meaningful to them
- A recreation of the cherry plum tree that grows on the Walton Charity allotment
‘Threads of Nature’, hARTslane, Lewisham, 12th-15th September
This display is a contemporary response to a traditional herbal, encompassing a collection of plants, gardens, and elements of the natural world that hold special meaning for the curators, who are all active participants in community gardens across Lewisham, including at University Hospital Lewisham Wellbeing Garden.
Creative practitioner Alice Burnhope ran workshops with the community curators, exploring the history of herbals through the RHS’ rare book collection and developing the curators' skills in a range of textile and art techniques. Visitors to the exhibition will be able to stroll among natural dye fabric panels inspired by the transformative power of gardening, as well as take part in free textile technique and horticulture workshops.
Fiona Davison, RHS Head of Libraries and Exhibitions, said: “We are delighted that through our community outreach we have been able to work with participants from Walton Charity and Lewisham, and creative practitioners Anna Jones and Alice Burnhope to curate these exhibitions. Exploring the connections between plants, nature, and wellbeing, these displays not only showcase the artistic talents of local communities but also invite visitors to consider the restorative experience of gardening. Both displays are a celebration of nature’s enduring ability to heal and inspire, and we hope that they will foster a deeper appreciation for the integral role of plants and gardens in our wellbeing.”
The new exhibitions are the latest offering from the RHS Gardens of Imagination programme, which aims to celebrate and share new stories about gardening, horticulture and the RHS’ unique collections by working with creative practitioners and people in local communities.
Herbals that were used for inspiration in the displays can be viewed via the RHS Digital Collections: https://collections.rhs.org.uk/
Access to the exhibition at RHS Wisley is included with general entry to the garden. For more information and to book tickets visit: https://www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/wisley/viewevent?EFID=3732&ESRC=CMS
