Gertrude Jekyll

Date of Birth: November 29, 1843

Zodiac Sign: Sagittarius

Date of Death: December 8, 1932

Biography

Gertrude Jekyll was a pioneering British horticulturist, garden designer, artist, and writer. Born in London on November 29, 1843, she was one of the most influential garden designers of the early 20th century. Jekyll created over 400 gardens in the UK, Europe, and the United States, and her work is known for its lush, painterly use of color and plant form. Jekyll’s approach to garden design was heavily influenced by her training as a painter, as well as her close association with architect Edwin Lutyens. Together, they collaborated on numerous projects, combining architecture and garden design in a way that was groundbreaking at the time. Jekyll wrote over 15 books and more than a thousand articles for various magazines, sharing her extensive knowledge and passion for gardening with the world. Her legacy continues to inspire garden designers and horticulturists today.

5 Interesting Facts about Gertrude Jekyll

1. Gertrude Jekyll was nearly blind in her later years, yet she continued to design gardens and write about horticulture.

2. She was a skilled painter and photographer, having studied at the South Kensington School of Art.

3. Jekyll was awarded the Royal Horticultural Society’s Victoria Medal of Honour in 1897.

4. She was friends with notable figures such as William Morris and Edward Burne-Jones, and her brother, Walter Jekyll, was a close friend of Robert Louis Stevenson.

5. The term “Jekyll and Hyde” from Robert Louis Stevenson’s famous novel was inspired by her brother, Walter Jekyll.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Gertrude Jekyll

1. “A garden is a grand teacher. It teaches patience and careful watchfulness; it teaches industry and thrift; above all it teaches entire trust.”

2. “The love of gardening is a seed once sown that never dies.”

3. “There is no spot of ground, however arid, bare or ugly, that cannot be tamed into such a state as may give an impression of beauty and delight.”

4. “What is one to say about June, the time of perfect young summer, the fulfillment of the promise of the earlier months?”

5. “The gardener’s golden rule is to make the best use of what is available.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

There is no precise record of Gertrude Jekyll’s net worth, as she lived in a time when such figures were not commonly documented for women in her field. However, her influence and legacy in garden design are invaluable.