• J.W.F. Stephen, who formed a definitive collection of the etched work of Sydney Long. J.A.C. Stephen, the artist’s son, by descent. Purchased by the Australian National Gallery, from J.A.C. Stephen, Sydney, 1977.

In this print Long depicted a rural scene with an open area of meadows and water. People shelter under a tree, and there are buildings in the distance. A watercress bed may have been laid out in the water.

Long told J.W.F. Stephen, ‘with regard to the “Land of the Lavender” it has at different
times passed under the titles you mention
also “The Water Cress Bed”. It has finally anchored under the Lavender title. I am glad you mentioned it as I will mention this in the catalogue section’ (Stephen, 5 October 1928). The two titles, ‘The watercress bed’ and ‘The land of the lavender’, at first appear contradictory but, ultimately, not so. They suggest that what Long depicted here was a physic garden, consisting
of herbs such as lavender and chamomile, as well as watercress beds.

John Potter and William Moore, working as physic gardeners, founded the business of Potter and Moore in 1749. Their operations included the cultivation of herbs and flowers and in particular lavender, in Beddington and elsewhere. Some of the herbs were simply dried and sold, but lavender and mint were grown for their oil.

Watercress grows naturally in the River Wandle, near Beddington, and there were formerly watercress beds on the east side of the river, where watercress was commercially cultivated for the London markets. The area is now the Wandle Valley wetlands, a nature reserve.

This print was included in Art in Australia’s 1925 list of prints by Australian artists as
‘The watercress bed’. A copy was first exhibited in 1926 at the ‘Exhibition of the Australian Painter–Etchers’ Society’, Adelaide (16, as ‘The watercress bed’). But, as noted above, Long finally chose to adopt the title ‘The land of the lavender’.

A proof copy is held by the Art Gallery of New South Wales and copies are held by
the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery
and the College of Fine Art, Sydney.

In this print Long depicted a rural scene with an open area of meadows and water. People shelter under a tree, and there are buildings in the distance. A watercress bed may have been laid out in the water.

Long told J.W.F. Stephen, ‘with regard to the “Land of the Lavender” it has at different
times passed under the titles you mention
also “The Water Cress Bed”. It has finally anchored under the Lavender title. I am glad you mentioned it as I will mention this in the catalogue section’ (Stephen, 5 October 1928). The two titles, ‘The watercress bed’ and ‘The land of the lavender’, at first appear contradictory but, ultimately, not so. They suggest that what Long depicted here was a physic garden, consisting
of herbs such as lavender and chamomile, as well as watercress beds.

John Potter and William Moore, working as physic gardeners, founded the business of Potter and Moore in 1749. Their operations included the cultivation of herbs and flowers and in particular lavender, in Beddington and elsewhere. Some of the herbs were simply dried and sold, but lavender and mint were grown for their oil.

Watercress grows naturally in the River Wandle, near Beddington, and there were formerly watercress beds on the east side of the river, where watercress was commercially cultivated for the London markets. The area is now the Wandle Valley wetlands, a nature reserve.

This print was included in Art in Australia’s 1925 list of prints by Australian artists as
‘The watercress bed’. A copy was first exhibited in 1926 at the ‘Exhibition of the Australian Painter–Etchers’ Society’, Adelaide (16, as ‘The watercress bed’). But, as noted above, Long finally chose to adopt the title ‘The land of the lavender’.

A proof copy is held by the Art Gallery of New South Wales and copies are held by
the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery
and the College of Fine Art, Sydney.