Crowe, Sylvia (landscape architect)

Dame Sylvia Crowe was a landscape architect and writer and was involved in promoting landscape architecture in the UK and internationally through her involvement with the Institute of Landscape Architects (now Landscape Institute) and the International Federation of Landscape Architects.

She trained in horticulture and completed an apprenticeship with Edward White at Milner, Son and White. Following this Crowe worked as a landscape and garden designer for the nurserymen and garden contractors William Cutbush until the outbreak of the Second World War. She joined the ILA during this period where she met and became friends with fellow landscape architect Brenda Colvin. Colvin gave Crowe a room at her offices and in 1952 they moved together to 182 Gloucester Place where Crowe remained until 1982 with various staff assisting her over the years. Crowe worked with landscapes of hugely diverse scale, from small garden details to hundreds or acres of new towns and forestry. As a member of the ILA she served on the Examination and Education Committees and wrote a series of books confronting the challenges of new landscape issues and textbooks on garden design.

The collection contains drawings by Sylvia Crowe and some of her staff, photographs and negatives, and correspondence.

More information

• A catalogue is available on the online database or to download here.
• The MERL Library contains many books written by, or donated by, Sylvia Crowe.

Crowe

Please note the collection is stored offsite, please contact us at least five working days in advance of your visit.