Although middle-class women in the 19th Century were unable to become professional gardeners, many were keen amateur botanists studying plants in their gardens and the surrounding countryside. This was an acceptable accomplishment even for married women. Lydia Becker (1827–1890) went further than most in her studies, winning a Gold Medal from the Horticultural Society (later the RHS) for her collection of dried plants. In 1864, she published Botany for Novices. Two years later, she became interested in suffrage after John Stuart Mill presented his first petition on it to the House of Commons.
After that, she devoted her life to the fight to get women the vote and is seen by most as the first female leader of the suffrage movement. However, her links with botany were never forgotten and she was frequently lampooned in the press where her large figure, plaited hair, and steel-rimmed glasses made her an easy target for cartoonists.
The Gardening Women exhibition runs from Sat 5 May - Sun 21 October and is open between 11am - 5.30pm, with last admission at 4.45pm. Normal admission charges apply.