Yorkshire's Designed Landscapes

Description
Garden history often assumes that landowners looked to London for their horticultural needs until the early 19th century. This presentation shows that this was not necessarily the case and that Yorkshire nurseries transformed landscapes from the late 17th to early 19th centuries by fulfilling orders for and planting thousands of trees that, in places, are still evident on the ground.
Archival evidence about large Yorkshire nurseries, garden histories researched by Yorkshire Gardens Trust members, and contemporary maps demonstrate how nurseries contributed to the radical reworking of northern estates. Modern maps and satellite images show the plantation footprints that still exist, evidencing the lasting impact of the nurseries and the landowners who bought from them and the economic interdependence of early nurseries, enclosure and plantations.
Since retiring from a career in social policy research, Gillian Parker has been studying garden and landscape history. She completed a PGDip in Garden and Landscape History in 2020 (Institute of Historical Research, University of London). Between 2021 and 2024 she was a part-time PGR student in the Department of Landscape Architecture, University of Sheffield, supervised by Dr Jan Woudstra, and is continuing in the Department of Archaeology at the University of York, supervised by Professor Jonathan Finch. Her research explores the social, economic and horticultural history of the Backhouse Nursery of York. She is a Trustee of the Yorkshire Gardens Trust, a member of its Research and Recording group and a volunteer at the George Dillistone Garden – Goddards - in York.
Image: Nathan Drake (c.1728-1778), The New Terrace Walk, York, 1756, York Museums Trust, Public Domain, via ArtUK
Booking info
This event can be booked through the Gardens Trust eventbrite page.
Ticket sales close 4 hours before the first talk
Attendees will be sent a Zoom link 2 days (and again a few hours) prior to the start of the first talk (If you do not receive this link, please contact the Gardens Trust), and a link to the recorded session will be sent shortly after each session and will be available for 2 weeks.