Exhibition

Benton End: A Paradise of Pollen and Paint

2 June - 20 September 2026

Step back in time to 1950s Suffolk and encounter a collision of radical art and horticulture.

A creative haven comes to life through artworks, photographs, letters and personal objects from Suffolk art school, Benton End. Led by artist and plantsman Cedric Morris alongside Arthur Lett-Haines, the site's house and garden became a meeting place for artists, gardeners and free thinkers.

A Paradise of Pollen and Paint explores Benton End’s influence on figures including Lucian Freud, Joan Warburton and Beth Chatto, revealing a unique environment where artistic experimentation, horticultural discovery and shared ideas flourished together. An intimate glimpse into a remarkable community that shaped British art and gardening.

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Visitor information

Address

Garden Museum

Lambeth Palace Road, Lambeth, London, Greater London, SE1 7LB
020 7401 8865

Opening times

Tues-Sun 10am-4pm

Open bank holidays excluding Christmas Day and Boxing Day

Visitor information