LOOKING FORWARD BY LOOKING BACK: NEW ZEALAND TO LONDON, PHILIP NORMAN'S LIFE SHAPED BY GARDENS
- Jennifer Jewell
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
For our final Cultivating Place episode of 2025, Abra Lee is looking forward by looking back. She’s in conversation with Philip Norman, a gardener, an historian, and a longtime curator at the Garden Museum in London. From New Zealand to London, Philips's life is shaped by gardens, plants, and the stories behind them. Philip grew up on a family farm in New Zealand, where he learned to garden alongside older neighbors who loved sharing their knowledge.
Philip eventually traveled the world, and a trip to London in the early 1980s changed everything—he never left. He became an early volunteer at what would grow into the Garden Museum in London, helping to build its very first archives and collections: pottery, paintings, and objects that now help tell the story of British gardening.
Today we’ll hear Philip’s journey from New Zealand to London, and how his love of plants, history, and beauty continues to shape the way we understand gardens.
Happy Holidays!
From Abra:
Today I’m happy to welcome someone who understands gardens as places full of memory and meaning — Philip Norman.
Philip grew up in New Zealand, gardening on his family’s farm and learning from older neighbors who loved to grow fruits and vegetables. As a young man he traveled widely before landing in London in the early 1980s — and once he arrived, he stayed. His love of plants and history led him straight to the early beginnings of what would become the Garden Museum, where he became one of the very first volunteers. Philip helped build the museum’s early collections, from pottery to paintings to historic tools that tell the long story of gardening in Britain.
Today, the Garden Museum welcomes people of all ages, and Philip’s thoughtful curatorial work is part of what makes it such a special place for anyone who loves gardens and the stories behind them.
Cultivating Place family, please meet Philip Norman — gardener,
historian, and storyteller of garden history.
Follow Philip & the Garden Museum online:
and on Instagram:
All photos used courtesy of Philip Norman, Garden Museum, London. All rights reserved.
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Thinking out loud this week...
Hey, y'all, it's Abra—
With the holidays here, I’ve been reflecting on how this season brings its own kind of horticulture. Even if our gardens are resting, we’re surrounded by plant life in other ways — evergreens on doors, winter berries in arrangements, citrus in kitchens, and all the small natural touches that help us mark the time of year.
Talking with Philip made me think about how many stories sit inside these traditions. Why do we bring greenery indoors? Why do certain plants show up every December? Who kept these customs alive across generations?
This week, as you decorate or gather with loved ones, take a moment to
notice the plants around you — living, dried, or symbolic — and think about
the histories they carry. They’re part of our seasonal storytelling, just like the objects Philip helps preserve in the Garden Museum.
If you’re near Atlanta, come see me at Oakland Cemetery during the holidays. Even in winter, it’s full of quiet beauty, structure, and stories waiting to be seen
As I sit with this week’s conversation with Philip, I keep thinking about how gardens — and the museums that honor them — help us stay connected to the everyday people who shape the world around us. So much of garden history isn’t grand or fancy. It’s ordinary folks planting, tending, collecting, and caring.
Philip’s work reminds us that those everyday stories matter.
So sometime this week, visit a garden, a park, a museum, or even a neighbor’s yard. Look closely. Notice the simple things: a well- used tool, a familiar plant, a path worn from years of footsteps. These little details are part of our shared garden story.
If you feel inspired, explore the Garden Museum online or look for local programs that highlight horticulture, history, or community gardening. Let curiosity lead you — you never know what stories you’ll uncover.
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