13 June, 2025

Whether you have a green thumb or are a serial houseplant killer, the British Library’s latest exhibition, Unearthed: The Power of Gardening, has something for everyone. Taking visitors on a journey through the history of plants and gardens in Britain, the exhibition explores and celebrates how they’ve shaped our individual wellbeing, our communities and our natural world. 

From the power of being able to grow your own food to the legacy of global plant acquisition in Britain and the impact our gardens have on biodiversity, the exhibition displays artefacts and tells stories spanning from the 11th century to modern times that reflect how something as everyday as a garden has the power to shape lives and landscapes. 

What’s more, with the impact of gardening on the planet being a big part of the exhibition, the British Library has fittingly used the exhibition as an opportunity to pilot more sustainable exhibiting practices. This means minimising transport of loan objects by borrowing more locally, reusing display equipment from previous exhibitions, and measuring the carbon emissions of an exhibition for the first time to better understand where the impacts lie, to name just a few initiatives. 

So, if you’re looking for an inspiring day out this summer, head down to the British Library now. Unearthed runs until Sunday 10th August.  

By Lucy Bell