Alfred William Parsons (1847 - 1920)

Alfred William Parsons

Alfred William Parsons was a British artist, illustrator and renowned garden designer, a Fellow of the Royal Academy.

He studied at the Kensington School of Art and was a keen gardener thanks to his gardener father. Parsons' favorite subject matter in his paintings is flowering gardens, paths between flowerbeds, and coastal riverscapes. His detailed botanical illustrations led to an acquaintance with William Robinson, one of the great gardeners of his day. He commissioned Parsons to create illustrations for The Wild Garden, and then received his first garden commission from architect Philip Webb. Parsons created several more simple but stunning gardens that harmonized new and traditional elements.

After traveling to Japan, Parsons published his impressions of the country under the title Notes in Japan (1896), and he painted 132 watercolors depicting roses for Ellen Willmott's book Rod Rosa.