In Dialogue with Rousham Gardens
with Advolly Richmond

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Potential submission to the Garden Media Magazine, Summer Edition:

 

A Photographic Exploration of History and Landscape

 

Photographer and Project Originator: Gina Dover-Jaques
Garden Historian: Advolly Richmond
Location: Rousham Gardens, Oxfordshire, UK
Date of Shoot: 6 May 2026

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Subject: Submission for GMG Magazine "In Dialogue with Rousham Gardens"

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Hello Dan

 

I am writing to share a project that I believe might resonate with GMG members. It is a photographic study that explores the intimate relationship between garden historian Advolly Richmond and Rousham Gardens, a historically significant landscape in the UK.

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Titled "In Dialogue with Rousham Gardens with Advolly Richmond", the project focuses on capturing Advolly’s authentic engagement with the garden, her interactions with the structures, plants, and history of Rousham. The project highlights how a garden historian reads the garden, observing its layers of design and history, rather than simply taking a passive walk through it.

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The approach is deliberately subtle: I work with analogue film, capturing moments when Advolly’s movements, gestures, and pauses align with the surrounding landscape. This slow, intentional process reflects the deeper study of landscape history and the personal connection to these historic spaces.

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Below is a draft of the submission for your consideration and I would be happy to provide additional details if necessary.

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Thank you for your time and consideration.
Gina Dover-Jaques

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Advolly was deliberately given the freedom to engage with Rousham as she naturally would when studying and reflecting on a historical garden. It was important that she was able to move, observe, and interact with the landscape authentically, as any garden historian would in their natural process of discovery. There was no direction or imposed structure from me. This approach ensured that Advolly's genuine interaction with the space was captured, allowing for moments of reflection, scholarly engagement, and intimate connection with the garden’s features. The photography aimed to document those raw, organic moments without altering Advolly's approach.

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To complement the visual story, I will provided Advolly with a handful of questions post-shoot to gain her reflections and insights on the experience. Advolly's intellectual perspective will help deepen the narrative of this photographic study, hopefully offering readers more insight of how a garden historian connects with and interprets the landscape. These insights will also inform the final selection of images, ensuring the project resonates both visually and intellectually.

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The photographs were created on a vintage analogue camera. The choice of technology, paired with a deliberate, slow photographic method, serves to reflect the thoughtfulness and care with which Advolly approaches her work. Each image is carefully composed with intentionality, captured only when spatial, temporal, and observational conditions align. This mindful and precise process results in images that feel purposeful and genuine, with no unnecessary distractions.

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The photographs focus on subtle, often unnoticed moments of engagement between a garden historian and the garden they love. Whether Advolly is touching an ancient sculpture, pausing to examine a boundary line, or contemplating the historical layers of the garden, the images hopefully help to reveal how scholars like Advolly connect with landscapes in a way that is both intellectual and deeply sensory. The garden is portrayed as an active participant in this dialogue, its history unfolding through the moments of interaction, not as a mere backdrop, but as a living, evolving entity.​

 

This article will not only reflect the beauty and subtlety of Rousham’s landscape but hopefully invite readers to think about how gardens are actively interpreted by those who study them deeply.​

 

A Unique, Thoughtful Contribution:

Potentially, this photographic study brings forward a unique perspective on how gardens are read and interpreted, not just as designs, but as living, evolving entities. It might serve as a lovely complement to the Chelsea Flower Show content, offering readers a moment to pause and reflect on the deeper connections between gardens, history, and scholarship. 

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Contact Information:

Gina Dover-Jaques

info@doverjaquesphotography.com

www.doverjaquesphotography.com