https://www.twigsway.me/work daily 1.0 2026-01-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e403230ef4feb2a835bca75/1604002857485-V052QGASTJKS5T3LKR40/5-2++2000-327+Front+garden.jpeg Home Lecturer, Researcher and Writer Currently the Course Director for the University of Buckingham MA (Research) and PhD in Garden History, I am fascinated by the past and intrigued by the role of gardens and landscape in society, art and culture. With a background in archaeology my understanding of landscape and design is embedded within their cultural context. My academic research has concentrated on a range of topics including the role of women and gender in garden and landscape design of all periods, gardens of the working and middling classes, and the impact of politics and war on design and production. Whether focussing on individual plants or centuries of garden culture, my work encompasses symbolism and meaning, class and gender, art and literature. From gnomes in Neasden to hollyhocks from the Holy Land every plant has a tale to tell, every garden a past and every person a role in that past. For more information on the University of Buckingham Ma and PhD in Garden History SEE https://www.buckingham.ac.uk/courses/research/ma-garden-history/ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e403230ef4feb2a835bca75/6e6b0b77-d9d1-48a9-be15-b9108bbee8c2/Screenshot+2026-01-13+at+19.13.41.png Home Course Director MA and PhD Garden History (University of Buckingham) Re-launched in 2023, the Master’s and PhD in Garden History at The University of Buckingham gives students a unique opportunity to undertake research into a topic or theme of their own choosing with the support, guidance and supervision of established garden historians and academics. Through a series of seminars and lectures delivered by owners, heritage professionals, and academics we provide the context and support for your ideas to thrive and your research and professional aims to come to fruition. For more information on the University of Buckingham Ma and PhD in Garden History SEE https://www.buckingham.ac.uk/courses/research/ma-garden-history/ or contact Twigs direct at twigs.way@buckingham.ac.uk https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e403230ef4feb2a835bca75/1588274009637-TJEB7JM67N4Y8L11L6S6/1CEE897B-D327-4E68-BFAC-DB801ED9880A.jpg Home Rachel Ruysch 1716 Still Life with Flowers on a Marble Table Top (Rijksmuseum Open Access) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e403230ef4feb2a835bca75/1588275862708-K11J5QFX0UUIB4ACFOJQ/A5747A64-35D5-4D79-AEDA-42F4506DA665_1_100_o.jpg Home Evacuees go out to garden on wartime allotments from ‘Digging for Victory: The Wartime Garden’ by Twigs Way and Mike Brown 2010 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e403230ef4feb2a835bca75/1588275578500-ROCNBWYJQ84Y5FF41DVA/5A400003-6484-4E0B-99DD-11CAC925B781_1_201_a.jpg Home Surveying in Thorndon Park, Essex as part of a Parkland Management Plan https://www.twigsway.me/arts-society daily 0.75 2025-11-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e403230ef4feb2a835bca75/53c86e78-8b1e-41a0-93ab-b2ee7896b9d2/DP341200.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e403230ef4feb2a835bca75/1589485610254-DCVQMVRUKRBCB8NBQV6H/1881%2BOpen%2BAccess%2BNGA%2BWashington%2BThe%2BArtsit%2527s%2BGarden%2Bat%2BV%25C3%25A9theuil%2BClaude%2BMonet.jpg Arts Society - Worshipped by Aesthetes and cultivated by Impressionists the sunflower casts its golden rays across art and culture. A personification of the divine and the regal, we trace its history from classical myth to twentieth century painting via Van Dyck and Van Gogh, Clytie and Klimt, Monet, Rivera, Wilde and Watts. Green and gold, human and divine, the adoring and the adored, the Sunflower. The Sunflower in Art and Culture IMAGE: Claude Monet 1881 The Artist’s Garden at Vétheuil (NGA Washington Open Access) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e403230ef4feb2a835bca75/d26cfdca-7ae2-4588-8260-ed417cf5cbc1/ep60.54.R.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e403230ef4feb2a835bca75/1589484525329-RVVAEASBT6FBFMSHQCDG/MN_430-004440LA090603_00109.jpeg Arts Society - An unconventional life painting exotic and rare plants in their native lands. Living and travelling with the ‘liberty of a wild bird’, but maintaining the dress and manners of a Victorian lady. The pursuit of plants took her around the world whilst her paintings were destined for Kew. This talk explores Marianne North’s work, her social context and the eventual creation of her gallery at the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. Marianne North: Victorian Botanical Painter and Traveller https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e403230ef4feb2a835bca75/1589485563081-Z8BT0GUEGIAX1JEHLG1M/AN00333479_001_l.jpg Arts Society - Scandal, politics, botany, art and wit - this talk has it all! Following the life of the ‘grotto nymph’ and creator of botanic paper mosaicks, Mary Delany. Feted by Erasmus Darwin, acclaimed by Sir Joseph Banks and personal friend of Queen Charlotte, after a life of gardening and ‘shell work’ she embarked, aged 72, on a fabulous Flora of paper portrayals of exotic plants. Heavily illustrated talk drawing on Mary Delany’s own words. Mary Delany (1700-1788) and her ‘Paper Mosaics’ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e403230ef4feb2a835bca75/1589486244218-3XTTABIY6QP4DROPU7VL/van%2BOssterwijck.001.jpg Arts Society - A visually stunning overview of the role of female artists in floral and botanic art from the 16th to the 19th century. Often condemned as a ‘Pleasing Pastime’ for ladies of leisure this highly illustrated talk including works by both ‘amateur’ and professional female artists including Giovanna Garzoni, Maria van Oosterwijck, Rachel Ruysch, Elizabeth Blackwell, Mary Moser, Augusta Withers,. We will consider themes including perceived divisions between floral and botanic art, the amateur and the professional, and of course the vexed question of marriage! Women, Botany and Art: From the Garden to the Easel https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e403230ef4feb2a835bca75/1589485520962-NMZJF0EZ8AIFEHOPPBSL/30529701-1.jpg Arts Society - One of the most extraordinary women of the 17th century. Born into a family of artists, Mira Sibylla Merian left behind her marriage and her work as a successful flower painter, to sail to Surinam in pursuit of rarities of flora and fauna, and produced the famous ‘Metamorphosis Insectorum Surinam’. Her illustrations were sought by collectors and royalty throughout Europe, whilst her scientific observations stunned the world. Maria Sibylla Merian (1647-1717): Artist, Scientist and Adventurer https://www.twigsway.me/gardensocieties daily 0.75 2023-10-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e403230ef4feb2a835bca75/1588188354755-05VGHRY2QK9GUOFQF5KM/184024_full_564x718.jpeg Garden Societies https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e403230ef4feb2a835bca75/1588189023581-JQVT6DDYEV5DDYSWBZTW/P7100002.jpeg Garden Societies https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e403230ef4feb2a835bca75/1588188334306-48JH5PGP8WB0YAPGLU26/A45262.jpeg Garden Societies https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e403230ef4feb2a835bca75/1588189600683-U0CZC2HEYUACKX06M4WR/2009-041+Dig+For+VictoryJ.jpeg Garden Societies https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e403230ef4feb2a835bca75/1588270664502-V73OYFSKVAA78QO8QWWG/Antique+card+mine%3Aebay.jpeg Garden Societies https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e403230ef4feb2a835bca75/1588189617526-YH79V1TV9MZLMYLNP4HQ/2013-074+Allotment+Outfits+c1910.jpeg Garden Societies https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e403230ef4feb2a835bca75/1588189138954-8LI6N4FS941JV1V40AMH/4.++Florists+flowers+1886.jpeg Garden Societies https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e403230ef4feb2a835bca75/1588270869171-L0BTBSCVKPUQKS41RHIA/IMG_1652.jpeg Garden Societies https://www.twigsway.me/gallery daily 0.75 2020-10-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e403230ef4feb2a835bca75/1581273147320-BUPXPSIWOX73LAACLL2E/IMG_8268.jpeg Gallery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e403230ef4feb2a835bca75/1581273150289-K7I7ZU6DLNQC565V7LBZ/twigs+-+208+of+211.jpeg Gallery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e403230ef4feb2a835bca75/1581273153631-UZCKA87775QJ3TERYQF3/twigs+-+210+of+211.jpeg Gallery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e403230ef4feb2a835bca75/1581273179466-IZF1039HFPOGR42QY3B4/twigs+-+1+of+211.jpeg Gallery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e403230ef4feb2a835bca75/1581273191955-ZSW89B1Z7T0JKWID59BA/twigs+-+5+of+211.jpeg Gallery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e403230ef4feb2a835bca75/1581273517099-PSKP4FP6WB7MVWDZYIL2/IMG_7099.jpg Gallery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e403230ef4feb2a835bca75/1603999496016-4PQ7DEESEKJ0777WI7SA/P9074205.jpeg Gallery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e403230ef4feb2a835bca75/1603999565865-3W5VWI3NP2GA6WAJPD7J/IMG_5485.jpeg Gallery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e403230ef4feb2a835bca75/1603999735016-GK5XUL4GLHEKFLJ9E9NH/Valentines+Park+Canal+-+Edwardian.jpeg Gallery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e403230ef4feb2a835bca75/1604000064194-4TSK8RB3KULQSXMYKH3O/2012-007-Ladies-Gardening-830x564.jpeg Gallery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e403230ef4feb2a835bca75/1604000117788-JUCVSJ1CDBVOXR27E181/2511030877_8c7c2a7a77_o.jpeg Gallery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e403230ef4feb2a835bca75/1604000188046-RQFRYZ1U9O5YFS63LSWW/2009-077+Walled+Garden+Staff.jpeg Gallery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e403230ef4feb2a835bca75/1604000235709-RXHAYE4YXMSFPHXQ9O6B/IMG_3406.jpeg Gallery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e403230ef4feb2a835bca75/1604000941624-ONE153EWAGGQEZ47235Z/Flitwick+Manor+map+1717+area+round+house+.jpeg Gallery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e403230ef4feb2a835bca75/1604001202409-9HIYFPFLRX34E4QVJJSS/IMG_5588.jpeg Gallery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e403230ef4feb2a835bca75/1604001210867-3CTNS6277LNNVEQNU3DB/PastedGraphic-1.jpeg Gallery https://www.twigsway.me/consultancy daily 0.75 2020-02-09 https://www.twigsway.me/contact daily 0.75 2020-04-30 https://www.twigsway.me/about daily 0.75 2020-08-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ce2e1b47977970001d9545e/1559249367710-990SKXY4GDXK1E5F9KKD/about-us.jpg About https://www.twigsway.me/books daily 0.75 2023-10-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e403230ef4feb2a835bca75/65ac51b6-b2f4-4be2-bd7f-8557937ff54c/61MoWlMpNRL._SL1000_.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e403230ef4feb2a835bca75/1616018763247-P0MABDDKIZBLJX0FDKLE/daffodils+00257101.jpeg Books and Research Image courtesy J Paul Getty Museum image 1561/2 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e403230ef4feb2a835bca75/1615977841020-HVIN18TPSJ1W52EIFSTU/6595525009_c6392e4a8e_o.jpeg Books and Research Chrysanthemums’ image courtesy of Liz West Flickr Creative Commons https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e403230ef4feb2a835bca75/1615979320742-PIWNQJNFLAYGZTMAQ972/1-10++2010-073+Sheffield+Gardens+by+Neville+Crowson.jpeg Books and Research image courtesy of Garden Museum https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e403230ef4feb2a835bca75/1615978455680-E8ZR7UEEDU69DRSMRJZC/0+-+Cover+Richard+Thorn+Allotments.jpeg Books and Research https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e403230ef4feb2a835bca75/1615977591221-WAMIE5SZ6R2B81C01GS7/139203.jpeg Books and Research