u3a

Oban

Britain, China and Japan: history, politics, horticulture - David Alcock

Event type: Meeting
Date: 2nd June 2026
Time: 11:00 am
Venue: Corran Halls

Chinoiserie was all the rage in the 18th and early 19th centuries. What sources were available to the enthusiastic gardener? What were the results? How did this compare to the real thing? Why did Chinoiserie give way to Japonisme, and what's the difference? What of Scotland? The talk will touch on all these issues

David's interest was sparked as a volunteer at Biddulph Grange Garden in Staffordshire where there is a Chinese-style garden dating from the early 1850s, the most ambitious of its kind prior to recent times.