Munstead Wood: A Modernist Laboratory

Discover the legacy of Gertrude Jekyll and the future of her iconic garden, Munstead Wood – a living canvas of colour, texture and innovation.

Gertrude Jekyll transformed gardening into an art form. Her bold, painterly approach combined beauty with structure, colour with practicality – reshaping modern garden design and cementing her as one of the most influential figures in horticulture. At Munstead Wood, her personal home and garden, Jekyll brought this vision to life. Rejecting rigid conventions, she created a living canvas of texture, tone and seasonal rhythm. The 15-acre garden became her modernist laboratory, where she refined her pioneering ideas and redefined what a garden could be.

Acquired by the National Trust in 2023, Munstead Wood is entering a new chapter. Caroline Ikin, Curator at Munstead Wood is joined by the Property Manager Katherine Mills to discuss the legacy of this extraordinary gardener and the plans for its future.