February 25th 2026
A new series of talks wandering through allegorical gardens with Dr David Marsh.
“In a garden, art, science, nature and the mind collide. It is no surprise then, that many stories in ancient religions and philosophies are set in gardens. Christians believe that the Garden of Eden once existed before Adam and Eve were expelled from it, while the Hanging Garden of Babylon has captivated the creative imagination of humans for centuries, as have legends about the Gardens of the Hesperides in the ancient Mediterranean world. Like ancient Chinese stories about the magical gardens on Mount Kunlun and its counterpart Mount Penglai, they all reflect the complex interaction between the human and divine worlds. In this series we will not only be looking be looking at the myths themselves but also, where possible, the reality that lay behind them and their impact on gardens more recently.”
This ticket costs £28 for the entire course of 4 sessions, or you may purchase a ticket for individual sessions, costing £8 via the links below. (Gardens Trust members £21 in total or £6 each).
Ticket sales close 4 hours before the first talk.
Attendees will be sent a Zoom link 2 days prior to the start of the talk, and again a few hours before the talk. A link to the recorded session (available for 2 weeks) will be sent shortly afterwards.
Talks
Week 1. 25 February: The Hanging Gardens of Babylon – First in this series of 4 online talks, £8 each or all 4 for £28 (Gardens Trust members £6 each or all 4 for £21)
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/mythical-gardens-the-hanging-gardens-of-babylon-tickets-1980483898654
Week 2. 4 March: The Garden of the Hesperides – Second in this series of 4 online talks, £8 each or all 4 for £28 (Gardens Trust members £6 each or all 4 for £21)
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/mythical-gardens-the-garden-of-the-hesperides-tickets-1980484490424
Week 3. 11 March: Mythical Chinese Gardens – Third in this series of 4 online talks, £8 each or all 4 for £28 (Gardens Trust members £6 each or all 4 for £21)
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/mythical-gardens-mythical-chinese-gardens-tickets-1980484820411
Week 4. 18 March: Eden – Last in this series of 4 online talks, £8 each or all 4 for £28 (Gardens Trust members £6 each or all 4 for £21)
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/mythical-gardens-eden-tickets-1980485172464
Sessions run:
6pm to 7:30pm GMT