Born in the small village of Kirkharle, Northumberland, Lancelot Brown rose to become the most famous landscape designer in England.

Working with contours, water and trees, he created landscapes so breathtakingly natural the poet Whitehead commented that only Dame Nature could distinguish between his work and hers.

At sites such as Stowe, Blenheim, Bowood, Luton Hoo, and Croome Court, Brown’s style gently echoed the Italian artists of the previous centuries, and was itself further popularised in contemporary paintings of landscape as fashions in late 18th century art turned from artifice to nature, or more correctly to artificial nature.

In the 300th year anniversary of his birth, this talk will consider the life and work of Brown, and examine the accolades and the charges laid at his feet - genius or vandal, artist or copyist?

The talk is illustrated with images of Brownian landscapes both in reality and in painting.

Dr Twigs Way is involved in the 2016 tercentenary celebrations of Lancelot 'Capability’ Brown’s birth. A garden historian, author, researcher and lecturer, she presented Lost Gardens for Channel 4 and has appeared on Gardeners' World as well as making media appearances on a wide range of garden history related topics.

Her publications include A History of Women in the Garden, the highly illustrated A Nation of Gardeners, and a short biography of Gertrude Jekyll, as well as the quirky History of Garden Gnomes!

June 7, 2016