Lutyens and Jekyll 

The partnership of Edwin Lutyens and Gertrude Jekyll - the story of a remarkable lady “Bumps” and her great friend and colleague “Ned”.

 In 1889 Gertrude Jekyll, aged 46 years, was introduced to the young 20 year old architect Edwin Lutyens. Her study of the vernacular architecture of Surrey would inform not only her new home at Munstead Wood which he designed  but the gardens she would create with her dear friend Ned. 

Bumps and Ned made regular tours of Surrey in her pony trap to inspect the county’s vernacular architecture. They shared an understanding of the importance of regional characteristics in a building.  To Lutyens she became a kindly mentor, Jekyll taught him how to read and absorb architectural vernacular and how to use traditional craftsmanship and local materials.

Jekyll wrote:

“The truth appears to be that for the best building and planting the architect and gardener must have some knowledge of each other’s business”

Their garden design partnership dovetailed their talents, his architectural eye in designing garden layouts, landscaping and stone structures complemented by Jekyll’s artistic use of colour and knowledge of plants. They worked together in collaboration and respect for each other, never in opposition.  Together, they made over 100 gardens creating complex, romantic spaces we still admire today. They stayed friends until her death in 1932, though after 1918 it was a distant friendship because of  Lutyens  “globe-trotting eminence”.