Edward Kemp: Victorian Landscape Gardener and Birkenhead Park Architect

Mersey Park Birkenhead designed by Edward Kemp

“The fluttering testimonials which he has received from numberless visitors to the Birkenhead park… will be sufficient to ensure… a large and liberal patronage.” Today is the birthday of the Landscape Gardener Edward Kemp, who was born on this day in 1817. Edward Kemp was the landscape gardener and architect at Birkenhead under Joseph Paxton.…

Read More

Joseph Paxton’s Birkenhead Park: When Liverpool Outshone Venice

Joseph Paxton by Octavius Oakley c. 1850.

This botanical history post was featured on The Daily Gardener podcast: Click here to see the complete show notes for this episode. April 5, 1847 My dear fellow gardeners, one cannot help but notice the unseemly enthusiasm with which the masses descended upon Birkenhead Park upon its grand opening. The Mercury reports—and I do assure…

Read More

Remembering Birkenhead Park Superintendent and Garden Designer Edward Kemp

Edward Kemp Birkenhead Park Superintendent

“The fluttering testimonials which he has received… will be sufficient to ensure… a large and liberal patronage.” August 6, 1847 On this day, Edward Kemp, the landscape gardener and architect at Birkenhead, placed an ad in the Liverpool Mercury. Edward offered his services as a gardener. [Edward Kemp] begs to offer his services to the Noblemen…

Read More