Art in the Garden

The Gardens are a fantastic resource for art activities

Explore our permanent and temporary exhibitions as well as the colours, shapes, patterns, and textures of nature. Enjoy the opportunity to use natural materials to create art work.
Learning outcomes

Pupils will be able to:

  • develop their techniques, including their control and their use of materials, with creativity, experimentation, and an increasing awareness of different kinds of art, craft, and design
  • analyse and evaluate their own work, and that of others, in order to strengthen the visual impact or applications of their work (for example, the choice of material, scale, and subject matter)
  • think critically about the use and constraints of public art to support business and influence ideas.
Activities

Normally a day’s programme would include four to five activities from the list below. With prior agreement, we are happy to adapt this to suit your individual needs and requirements*.

Colour filters and Mirrors With links to Surrealist artist Salvador Dali as well as impressionists such as Monet, distort, reflect, and see the Gardens from different perspectives.
Colour palettes and Colour sticky strips Investigate the variety of colours found on different parts of plants and decide if this is important.
Magnifying glasses and Leaf slides With links to botanical as well as contemporary artists like Georgia O'Keeffe, carefully observe the shape, colour, and texture of a wide range of leaves in the Gardens.
Curtains up and frames With links to Andy Goldsworthy, working independently and collaboratively, use natural materials to produce ground and hanging ephemeral artwork exploring balance, pattern, placement, and time.
Weaving Weave an individual piece of art using a range of natural materials.
Sculpture trail** Observe a wide variety of sculptures created from different materials. Discuss their placement, merits, and impact.

Please note:
*Although we would encourage your group to capture findings through sketches and photography, you will need to bring your own art materials (paper, paint, pencils, fixatives, cameras, etc.) as these are not provided.

Although we have a permanent art collection, temporary exhibitions change throughout the year. Please see our What's On listings for details.

If you would prefer a day a more cross-curricular day, please contact us and we can plan your visit accordingly.

Suggested pre-visit activities
  • Discuss the importance of botanical illustration in history
  • Look at the work of Andy Goldsworthy and other land artists
Suggested post-visit activities
  • Create a piece of art work using natural materials collected from the school grounds. Compare the materials collected with those found at the Gardens. How would they be different at a different time of the year?
  • Write a description of the art work you created in the Gardens for an art gallery
  • Investigate craft-activism and make a 3D sculpture from recycled material highlighting a particular local issue like fly-tipping in hedgerows or public transportation
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