Landscape Institute celebrates 90th anniversary at RHS Chelsea Flower Show where it was created

Formed at what is now the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in 1929, The Landscape Institute was created 90 years ago with the key driver of supporting the evolving profession which encompasses a wide range of talents covering horticulture, architecture and planning.  For the last nine decades the organisation has developed, having gone through many changes and adapted to often seismic shifts in environmental, social and economic situations in society. 

It will be marking this important milestone rather fittingly with an event on Friday 24th May at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show. The event will include past and present leaders of the landscape profession, leaders from wider industry, related professions and organisations with whom the LI collaborates will also attend.  There will also be leading members of the Norwegian Landscape Association, which also shares the same landmark 90th anniversary this year.

Thanks to the RHS, the event is taking place on Main Avenue in the RHS Back to Nature Garden which has been co-designed by HRH The Duchess of Cambridge with landscape architects Andrèe Davies and Adam White. Adam is also the current President of the LI. The garden aims to connect communities with nature and promote the health benefits of spending time outdoors.

Eight other LI members are also involved in gardens at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show. They are Alistair Bayford, Chris Beardshaw, Sarah Eberle, Exterior Architecture, Mark Gregory, Thomas Hoblyn, Joe Perkins and Andy Sturgeon.

In order to chart the many changes in landscape and mark the 90th anniversary, the LI commissioned the Museum of English Rural Life (MERL) at the University of Reading to create a timeline reflecting the many changes in society over the lifetime of the LI and the impact the landscape profession has had over the last nine decades. 

“During its ‘lifetime’ the LI has seen many changes in the world, with each decade seeing great social change from the aftermath of the First World War, the creation of the first council housing and the growth of the suburbs to the creation of the welfare state, new towns, the impact of major planning legislation and the growing awareness of the impact of climate change. 

That is why it is important we look back over the previous nine decades as many of these changes have had an impact not only on how we live our lives, how we work, where we go to school and how we stay healthy, but also on the way our landscape is designed, planned and managed.

But whilst it is important we look back and celebrate the great strides we have made, we live in challenging times, faced with rapid change to our natural environment, increased urbanisation, and the mounting pressures of living in the heart of a modern city. That is why we will also be looking to the future, and how in particular our profession can help meet the needs of our changing world.”

Adam White, LI President

For the full programme and to book visit https://www.landscapeinstitute.org/event/li90-festival-of-ideas/

About Damian Holmes 3253 Articles
Damian Holmes is the Founder and Editor of World Landscape Architecture (WLA). He is a registered landscape architect (AILA) working in international design practice in Australia. Damian founded WLA in 2007 to provide a website for landscape architects written by landscape architects. Connect on Linkedin at https://www.linkedin.com/in/damianholmes/