A ‘storybook’ garden has inspired a new art exhibition.
The Cotswolds’ Hidcote has inspired A Place That Whispers by photographers Jonathan Anderson and Edwin Low.
Hidcote, cared for by the National Trust, first captured their imagination during the quiet of the COVID-19 pandemic and became the setting for the upcoming exhibition.
The garden will host the show from March 16 to September 13, 2026, reimagining Hidcote as a space where photography, illustration, and narrative intertwine.
Anderson & Low said: "The realm of the fairy tale is never far from the woods.
"It lies just beyond the bend of the path, behind the knotted tree, or beneath the leaves where no one looks."
The pair have collaborated since 1990 and their work is held in collections including London’s National Portrait Gallery and the Victoria & Albert Museum.
The exhibition will feature Direct-to-Plate (DTP) photopolymer gravure, a new sustainable and chemical-free printmaking process.
Each image will be accompanied by a short story, drawn from diverse cultural traditions and perspectives.
This adds a literary dimension to the visual experience.
Their artwork blends hand-drawn elements and digital illustration with photogravure to create layered, dreamlike scenes featuring mythical and anthropomorphic figures.
The project coincides with their appointment as Visiting Research Fellows at the Birmingham School of Art, where they are developing the DTP technique.
This process combines aesthetic innovation with a commitment to environmentally responsible printmaking.
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Rose Futers, property operations manager at Hidcote, said: "We’re delighted to welcome Anderson & Low to Hidcote.
"Their extraordinary vision invites us to see the garden through a new lens and we can’t wait for visitors to experience this imaginative reinterpretation."
The exhibition will also reflect on the wider cultural role of English gardens, from Capability Brown’s landscape designs to Vita Sackville-West’s poetic plantings at Sissinghurst.
Anderson & Low said: "Ultimately, this exhibition is a homage, not only to Hidcote and its maker, but to the enduring idea of the garden as a threshold – a place where reality slips into wonder and where landscape itself becomes fable."
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