Trad (that’s me) was back at home in Lambeth the other day for a fiftieth birthday lunch, hosted by Christopher Woodward, director of The Garden Museum that puts Trad’s (that’s John Tradescant’s) church, the churchyard with his remarkable decorated tomb and a few of his possessions to excellent use; a shrine to horticulture. We were also celebrating, we said, Tradescant’s 600th birthday.
There are always interesting exhibitions in the little art gallery in the former church. The current one is a collection of the drawings and watercolours of Rory McEwen, surely one of the greatest plant-artists, to my eyes a rival even of Durer or Ehret or Redouté. McEwen tragically died aged only 50, a genius in many fields, musical as well as with pen and brush.
I urge you to visit the museum. It is only fifteen minutes’ walk form Parliament Square over Westminster Bridge, next door to the Tudor gatehouse of Lambeth Palace. Tradescant’s tomb (and that of Captain Bligh of The Bounty) are in the little churchyard west of the church, screened by tall plane trees from Lambeth Road. Go at lunchtime: the museum’s café serves delicious and notably stylish food, strong on fresh veg. We had whole baked brill and a chicken and mushroom pie under flaky pastry.
