© Luke O’Donovan
London Festival of Architecture (LFA) has partnered with Fleet Street Quarter on a new installation at Holborn Circus, in place until 31 August 2023.
‘The Herbalist’s Press – a Garden by Fleet Street Quarter’ was designed and brought to the footprint by Wayward, a London-based landscape, art and architecture collective of designers. The sensory garden is a greening installation of evergreen, scented and medicinal plants inspired by 17th century English herbalist, author and Fleet Street resident, John Gerard, as well as the area’s rich printing that makes Fleet Street one of the most famous roads in London.
The design of Wayward’s urban garden takes inspiration from the 15th and 16th century printing presses that found their home throughout Fleet Street, Holborn and the Old Bailey. Each installation is placed within frames that resemble the machinery and mechanics of the original printing presses and they are bedded with the herbal, floral and medicinal plants found in John Gerard’s original Herball –‘Generall Historie of Plante’, authored and printed in Fleet Street Quarter. His catalogues are the source for the plants, and his woodblock prints are a key visual element in the design for this installation. The garden brings this history together with the area’s ambitions for a sustainable future.
‘The Herbalist’s Press – a Garden by Fleet Street Quarter’ will be in situ until the end of August. The Quarter will also host a series of outdoor art workshops during lunchtimes on 6 and 13 July alongside a series of talks hosted at St Andrew’s Church throughout the summer – the full programme of activity can be found at www.fleetstreetquarter.co.uk.
Commenting on ‘The Herbalist’s Press – a Garden by Fleet Street Quarter’, Lucy French, CEO of Fleet Street Quarter said, “Inspired by local 16th century herbalist, John Gerard, our Herbalist Plant Press reflects the beauty of his planting and our printing history. We can’t wait to welcome visitors throughout the summer and to provide a tranquil escape for people to relax and learn, away from the bustling City streets.”
To find out more about the installation, visit www.fleetstreetquarter.co.uk. Be sure to tag us and #LFA2023 in any photographs you take!
‘The Herbalist’s Press – a Garden by Fleet Street Quarter’ is one of four installations commissioned in partnership with the City of London BIDs.
About Fleet Street Quarter
Fleet Street Quarter is a major new Business Improvement District established in February 2022. Encompassing an area which features Fleet Street at its heart, but embracing fascinating areas such as Chancery Lane, Holborn, Ludgate Hill and New Street Square, the Fleet Street Quarter aspires to shape the whole area into a thriving place to live, work, and visit.
The BID will create a strong business collective, providing a powerful voice for local businesses, enhancing the physical environment, injecting new energy into the area, and creating a safer and cleaner destination for all who live, work or visit the area.
Set amongst a backdrop of beautiful architecture, Fleet Street Quarter is home to a whole host of iconic cultural locations, hotels, restaurants, bars and cafés. St. Bride’s Church, Dr. Johnson’s House and London’s Silver Vaults can all be found in this historic home of journalism. There’s also a great variety of pubs to be sought out in the Quarter, including Editor’s Tap, Old Bell Tavern, Old Bank of England and one of London’s oldest, Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, many of which have been known to be frequented by literary geniuses such as Charles Dickens, W.B. Yeats, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Dr Samuel Johnson, creator of the first English Dictionary.
Images: (© Luke O’Donovan)
