126 Gender and Space in Rural Britain, 1840–1920
If you have a copy of Ruskin’s ‘Th e Two Paths’, read appendix v. at the very end of the
book, where you will fi nd as the heading of the last paragraph, ‘Th e fi ner the eye for col-
our the less it will require to gratify it intensely’. Probably you have given no pains (few
people have) to delicate eye-training in the matter of colour, rather rejecting at once all
fl owers that do not come up to a certain standard of even brilliancy of positive colour.^55Iris tuberosa is the subject of two other articles for the Garden in 1885.^56
Although Jekyll does not mention it elsewhere, her passionate response to this
criticism appears to be a reaction against current fashions. She states that ‘curi-
ous rage’ amongst the ‘educated classes’ is masquerading as a ‘delicate perception
of colour’, and she has ‘no sympathy whatever’ for people who have not bothered
training their eyes to appreciate a greater range of colour. Technological develop-
ments in the mid-century introduced aniline dyes which brought with them a
taste for bright, synthetic colours that it was now possible to create. Th ese vivid
colours also appeared in the gardens of the time. However, over the course of the
century, artists, craft smen and designers who would later be known as part of
the Arts and Craft s Movement steered away from these synthetics, returning to
natural dyes and their comparatively subtle colouring. Jekyll was one of the fi rst
promoters and applicants of these subtle variations of colour in the fl ower gar-
den. Th e deep purples, muted browns and pale yellow-greens of the Iris tuberosa
are eclipsed by the vivid, almost electric red of the scarlet geranium, a popu-
lar fl ower in mid-century gardens. Jekyll’s keen eye and her preference for soft
transitions and a wide range of colour schemes correspond to her adamant pro-
motion of and appreciation for this particular iris. In this example we can see her
botanical knowledge intersecting with her artistic knowledge, with the grace of
one who is wise in the ways of both and practised combining them in her art. By
focusing her writing on topics from women’s amateur or formal education that
related to the culturally accepted gendered space of the fl ower garden, Jekyll was
able to boldly assert her opinions, disengaging with the more acceptable passive
feminine tone, and still continue to be published by her male peers.
Th e Space of the Flower Garden as Inspiration and Medium
Th e subjects of Jekyll’s writing were based upon her own experiences at Munstead
Wood, the bespoke rural retreat where she lived. She wished to be in a natural
solace when in her own grounds, so much so that there was no drive leading up to
her home, only a footpath, requiring the industrial world to remain at a distance.
Jekyll created a walled paradise of seasonal colour, utilizing the inspirational envi-
ronment as a source for her articles and books. She was adamant about using the
space of one’s garden as inspiration, recommending her ideas developed in Mun-
stead Wood to her readers while reasserting the importance of selecting designs
and plants that fi t and would thrive in their own garden landscape.