Gardener's notebook: Bohemia's women gardeners and Belgravia's flower festival are two Bank Holiday musts

Londoners have a unique chance to look forward and back this week, with two must-sees for gardening fans.

Firstly, a new exhibition at the Garden Museum offers a unique window into the lives of some of Bohemia’s best women gardeners.

Gardening Bohemia looks in on the lives of writer Virginia Woolf, her sister artist Vanessa Bell, photographer Lady Ottoline Morrell and garden designer and writer Vita Sackville-West, famous for the gardens at Sissinghurst Castle.

Paintings, photographs, clothes and letters, many on display for the first time, reveal the importance the gardens had as places of refuge, employment, entertainment and sanctuary for countless other artists of the time.

As well as the gardens, the exhibition delves into the personal lives of the women, exploring the relationship between lovers Sackville-West and Woolf, pictured above, who bonded in each other’s gardens.

Also not to be missed this week is Belgravia in Bloom, an annual festival which takes place outside the shops and spaces in Westminster.

Now in its ninth year, more than 60 businesses are participating in the event, creating displays around the theme of “floral fun and games”.

Among them will be Cards — A Garden of Suits outside Jo Loves on Elizabeth Street, designed by Moyses Stevens, a display in which “a floral card deck weaves together a delicate yet vibrant tapestry of larkspur, lupins, and hydrangeas”.

“The textured mix of blossoms and foliage adds depth and dimension, creating a scene that is both lively and serene. As you wander through this enchanting garden, you’re reminded of the playfulness and intrigue of a card game, with all its moments of suspense and delight.”

Gardening Bohemia runs at the Garden Museum until September 29, 2024, admission £14, gardenmuseum.org.uk

Belgravia in Bloom runs until May 27 and is free to visit. It features displays on Elizabeth Street, Eccleston Street, Pimlico Road, Motcomb Street and Buckingham Palace Road