Jekyll & Pride

Gertrude Jekyll (1843-1932) is celebrated as the great garden designer whose work so often complemented that of the architect Edwin Lutyens (1869-1944).

Nowhere is more illustrative of their creative partnership than the rhododendron-lined lanes of deepest Surrey, where Lutyens’ arts and crafts, country house-style Munstead Wood, with its tall pepper pot chimneys and glowing brick and stone facades still nestles in the warm embrace of Jekyll’s herbaceous borders, brick paths and shrubbery.

Now the Grade 1-listed property has passed from private ownership into the hands of the National Trust, with much of the Jekyll-related furnishings. e remainder of the contents will be o ered at auction by Surrey autioneers Ewbank’s, at a dedicated sale on June 20. e multi-lot consignment includes pictures, silver, porcelain, glass, clocks and small gural sculpture, all collected by Sir Robert and Lady Clark who lived there.

Garden party

e house and garden is widely regarded as one of Lutyens’ most important country houses. But, along with their other celebrated collaborations, it wouldn’t have come about but for a chance meeting in the summer of 1889 between Lutyens and Jekyll, then aged 20 and 45 respectively.

Above Munstead Wood, near Godalming in Surrey, showing the famous gables, image courtesy of Knight Frank

Right Oak dominates the rst- oor gallery, image courtesy of Knight Frank

Below right e upstairs corridor at Munstead Wood, taken from Houses and Gardens by E.L. Lutyens, 1916, by Lawrence Weaver (18761930), image public domain

Both were attending a neighbour’s garden party at the home of the plantsman Harry Mangles. At the time, Jekyll, an established garden designer, was living wth her mother in the nearby, newly-built Munstead House. Meanwhile, Lutyens – who, with scant training, had opened an architectural o ce at the age of 19 – was keen to make connections. Despite his di dence the young designer made an impression on Jekyll. Both shared the principles of the arts and crafts movement and a love of the vernacular architecture of southwest Surrey.

Jekyll invited Lutyens’ opinion on Munstead Wood, a 15-acre chestnut copse across the road from her home, which she had purchased seven years earlier.

Left e hall and stairs today, image courtesy of Knight Frank

Below left e hall at Munstead Wood, taken from Houses and Gardens by E.L. Lutyens, 1916 by Lawrence Weaver (1876-1930), image public domain

Right Hestercombe House and Gardens, one of Lutyens’ and Jekyll’s most successful collaborations, image Shuttertock

Bottom left e drawing room showing the replace, image courtesy of Knight Frank

Lasting Partnership

Munstead Wood was the first of many influential major collaborations between Lutyens and Jekyll. After its completion, Jekyll introduced Lutyens to Edward Hudson - the founder of Country Lifewho was captivated by the young architect’s work and did his utmost to promote him (including commissioning work on three houses for himself).

Munstead Wood itself featured frequently in the magazine; in a 10-page feature in 1900 it was described as: “A beautiful house, its wood, its garden are clearly destined to become classical.”

After Munstead Wood, the pair workedon more than 100 houses and gardens, including Orchards at nearby Busbridge in Surrey (commissioned after its owners William and Julia Chance saw Munstead Wood); Goddards in Abinger Common, Surrey; and Folly Farm in Sulhamstead which the pair transformed into an iconic arts and crafts property.

Equally famous is their work at Hestercombe House and Gardens in Taunton, Devon, where they designed an Edwardian formal garden.

Writing in The Country Gardener in 2019 Vivienne Lewis called their partnership: “A symbiosis in which their talentsdovetailed – with his architectural eye in designing garden layouts, landscaping and stone structures perfectly complemented by Jekyll’s artistic use of colour and knowledge of plants.”

Meeting of minds

After designing her mother’s garden at Munstead House, Jekyll’s horticultural competence was growing. She was winning acclaim forplants selected and bred by her. In addition to her practical skills asa gardener, she contribute articles to William Robinson’s publication The Garden from 1881 onwards, becoming its editor from 1899-1901. At the same time, her success in the design andplanting of her friends’ gardens led to an ever increasingnumber of commissions.

She soon decided Lutyens’ architectural skills exactly complemented her plant and garden design and they created an informal partnership, with Jekyll’s contacts later bringing anumber of commissions to the young architect.