Poster artwork; London's flowers, by Ivon Hitchens, 1951

This oil painting by Ivon Hitchens was commissioned for a London Transport poster in 1951. The image formed one half of a 'pair poster' to promote London's flowers. This format, which comprised one poster for the image and one for the text, offered both the artist and the copywriter more freedom. Pair posters were intended for prime sites such as Underground station entrances. Alongside Hitchens' colourful image hung a message to the thousands of Londoners who had no garden. It invites them to stroll around Kensington Gardens, Kew or Wisley, enjoy the roses in Regent's Park, the summer splendour of Hampton Court, or the long ribbon of dahlias in St James's Park. By visiting London's public gardens, they could become 'flower-growers by proxy'.