London Town Gardens
Saturday 17 February - Monday 30 April 2001

London Town Gardens explores the thousands of small town gardens that have been a unique feature of our urban landscape for over 300 years. Using paintings, drawings, prints and models, this Capital Concerns display offers a rare glimpse over the garden wall into some of London's most individual private spaces.

The exhibition shows why domestic town gardens began to flourish in London in the 18th century and uncovers the history of the 'trifling pursuit' that remains one of London's most popular pastimes. Today, these small patches of green take up more space than London's major parks, and their presence continues to increase the value of inner-city properties. Yet they are potentially threatened by recent arguments in favour of high-density housing on brownfield sites.