Gardens Have a Purpose

Ranelagh

One of the reasons that garden history so fascinated me is that gardens reach into all aspects of culture and society.  They are integral to why and who we are.  In academic parlance they are the epitome of an interdisciplinary subject.

Take the example of the tea gardens made in London - particularly the Vauxhall Tea Gardens and the more upper market Ranelagh Garens which are the subject of this great post by 'Two Nerdy History Girls'.

Vauxhall

These gardens were so much more than gardens - they were the location for trans-social interactions, the location for romantic assignations without chaperone, a stage for mass entertainments, the beginnings of mass catering, pioneering outdoor lighting, advertising, and the logistics.  All in all,  most complex and profitable business ventures.

So when you think of or visit historic gardens look beyond the obvious and explore the fascinating ways in which gardens have shaped and been shaped by cultures, societies, fashions and so much more!