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William Robinson

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William Robinson (1838 to 1935) was an Irish-born gardener and writer who pioneered the wild garden and naturalistic gardening movement in England. His 1870 book The Wild Garden argued for hardy perennial planting in natural drifts through meadow, woodland and waterside settings, a direct reaction against the rigid bedding schemes of Victorian formal gardening. He worked at Gravetye Manor in Sussex and maintained a fifty-year friendship and working partnership with the garden designer Gertrude Jekyll.

Facts
Birth Year
1838 1
Death Year
1935 1
Nationality
Irish 1
Defining Contribution
Founder of the wild garden and naturalistic planting style; his book and garden designs were closely associated with the Arts and Crafts style houses of the cottage garden movement. 2
Cross-Tradition Connections

Associated With

Robinson championed the wild, natural planting style against formal Victorian bedding; Jekyll herself credited him with putting hardy-plant gardening within easy reach of ordinary gardeners.

Robinson's 1870 book The Wild Garden is treated as the movement's founding text

Developed

Sources
1. William Robinson (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationLong-term impact on gardening section
Quote, Long-term impact on gardening section
The idea of introducing large drifts of native hardy perennial plants into meadow, woodland, and waterside is taken for granted today, but was revolutionary in Robinson's time.
View the Source
1. William Robinson (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationInfoboxView the Source
1. William Robinson (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationDeveloped: Publication of The Wild Garden, Publication DateView the Source
2. Cottage Garden (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationHistory and Development section
Quote, History and Development section
The garden designs of Robinson and Jekyll were often associated with Arts and Crafts style houses.
View the Source
2. Cottage Garden (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationAssociated With: The Cottage Garden Movement, Historical Emergence and Reaction sectionView the Source
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