Sir Geoffrey Jellicoe – a Blue Plaque for a landscape architecture but not for Susan

English Heritage Blue Plaque Scheme marks the dwellings of famous Londoners with Blue Plaques. Only one landscape architect has been honoured in this way. It is Sir Geoffrey Jellicoe. Famed for his design projects, his books and his role in founding the International Federation of Landscape Architects in 1948, the honour is well deserved. It is however regrettable that the family’s suggested inclusion of his wife’s name on the plaque was not acted upon. Married to each other and to landscape architecture, they were partners in every sense. Susan was an extremely capable woman who worked with Geoffrey on all his schemes. A friend told me that Geoffrey was vague about the difference between deciduous and coniferous plants. Susan did all his planting design and edited his books. Her contribution to the Landscape of man was even more significant: she took most of the photographs herself, did the picture research for the other photographs – and probably wrote the captions. We should also remember that the International Federation of Landscape Architects might not have been founded but for her linguistic skills. If English Heritage was not overtly sexist, it was less than generous in its decision to leave Susan’s name off the Blue Plaque. The Blue Plaque on 19 Grove Terrace, Dartmouth Park, NW5 IPH, reads: “Sir GEOFFREY JELLICOE 1900-1996 Landscape Architect lived here 1936-1984″

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Tags: Blue Plaque, Geoffrey Jellicoe, Landscape, Sir Geoffrey Jellicoe   Posted in Gardening Consultant