Gardens and Empires

The histories of plants and gardens are deeply entangled with the histories of empires. This conference investigates the impacts of these global connections on gardens around the world. It investigates the influence of global networks of science, commerce and horticulture on the plants, designs and practices found in the gardens of European and non-European empires, at home and abroad.

This two-day international conference includes talks about the impact and influence of empires in gardens all over the world including East Asia, India, North America, South America, Australia, the Caribbean and Europe. The speakers share the stories of the plants, people and powers that shaped the gardens of empires.

The keynote lecture is by Advolly Richmond (BBC Gardener's World) and a roundtable discussion on the legacies of empire is chaired by Sathnam Sanghera (author of Empireland and Empireworld).

See the full programme.

Tickets include an exclusive visit to the British Library exhibition, Unearthed: the Power of Gardening. Also included are refreshments each day and an evening reception on Friday 27 June in the wonderful surroundings of The Story Garden, a dynamic community garden created by Global Generation, hidden behind the British Library.

Friday 27 June

09:30 Registration

10:00 – 16:45 Conference Day 1

16:50 – 18:30 Exhibition View: Unearthed: The Power of Gardening

18:00 – 20:00 Evening Reception at The Story Garden (Pizza and canapés provided)

Saturday 28 June

09:00 Registration

09:30 – 16.30 Conference Day 2

Presented by English Heritage and Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in association with the British Library.

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