ENGLISH LANDSCAPE GARDENS

ABOUT THE ENGLISH GARDENS

The English landscape garden, also called English landscape park or simply the English garden, is a style of “landscape" garden which emerged in England in the early 18th century, and spread across Europe, replacing the more formal, symmetrical  French gardens (jardin à la française) of the 17th century as the principal gardening style of Europe.

The English garden presented an idealized view of nature. It drew inspiration from paintings of landscapes by Claude Lorraine and Nicolas Poussin, and, in the Anglo-Chinese garden, from the classic Chinese gardens of the East, which had recently been described by European travellers.

The English garden usually included a lake, sweeps of gently rolling lawns set against groves of trees, and recreations of classical temples, Gothic ruins, bridges, and other picturesque architecture, designed to recreate an idyllic pastoral landscape.

By the end of the 18th century the English garden was being imitated by the French landscape garden.

It also had a major influence on the form of the public parks and gardens which appeared around the world in the 19th century

The shift

Lines were no longer straight, paths curve and wander, and parterres are replaced by grass.

Trees were planted in clusters rather than in straight lines, and rounded lakes replaced the rectangular ponds of the earlier style.

The garden became open, a park joining the house to the outside world rather than a carefully nurtured refuge from it.

This natural style begun by Kent evolved into the "landscape garden" under Kent's pupil and son-in-law, Lancelot "Capability" Brown. Brown, whose curious nickname came from his habit of telling prospective clients that their gardens showed "great capabilities", had an enormous effect upon the course of English gardening and architectural style. 

Before the introduction of English landscape, nature was viewed as dangerous , cranky .

The English landscape completely changed this view to appreciate and value the natural world. 

Before English garden…..

Before English garden most garden was arranged in French or Dutch style .

These French and Dutch gardens have rectangular subdivision.

Straight avenues & paths and water contained symmetrically shaped basin

Gardens before English garden

FRENCH GARDEN LAYOUT

DUTCH GARDEN LAYOUT

Elements within English gardens

Temple of Ancient Virtue at Stowe

Recreations of classic buildings

The existing classical and historical buildings were recreated and were incorporated in side the English landscape garden.

The stone buildings amongst the green trees were used to give the garden a more contrasted and theatrical look.

Elements within English gardens:• Ruins

Garden of Rousham House

Elements within English gardens:• Bridges

Stourhead English garden

Elements within English gardens• Natural stone

Dessau-Wörlitz Garden Realm

Elements within English gardens• Cobblestone

Elements within English gardens• Wattle edging & panels

Elements within English gardens

• Bee skep

Common characteristics of an English garden Lake

There was always a lake in the English gardens, most were man-made but all appeared to be natural forming basins. 

Their edges were meandering and irregular and often had pathways weaving through the trees and close to the water’s edge.

Common characteristics of an English garden Rolling lawns 

rolling lawn topography allowed visitorrs for surprises as they come around mounds or niches

Common characteristics of an English garden1.Tree groves

Tree groves - were spread throughout the landscape with paths that allowed the gardens users to wander in and out of the groves and provide a view of rolling lawns against mass tree plantings.

Ha ha wall

The purpose of ha ha wall was to separate garden from the grazing land but was invisible from a distance .

Cattle could be kept securely in their fields without the use of hedges or fences to interrupt the view

Ha ha wall

Grottos

grottos were used as romantic hide outs. 

They were manmade but build to resemble a dark natural forming cave.

Case study : Garden of Rousham House

Rousham House in Oxfordshire is considered by some as the most accomplished and significant of William Kent's work.

The patron was General Dormer, who commissioned Bridgeman to begin the garden in 1727.

 But then brought in Kent to recreate it in 1737

He has used a statue of Apollo inside the garden , depicting a theatre play that how a groove of trees draws the eye on the statute .

To achieve a paintly effect Kent instructed his Gardner to use dark colours of evergreen trees

dark colour evergreen trees

To create the illusion of unbroken landscape kent has used several technique at the garden of rousham house.

One of those technique is ha ha wall A wall that separated garden from grazing land , being invisible from a

distance Cattle could be kept separated without the use of hedges or fences

Haha wall

At rousham kent extended the views into the distance by designing a gothic style alteration to an old mill on the other side of river.

High up in the hill he created a large triple arch architectural folly called the eye-catcher

It was made on purpose to direct the view towards the field above the garden

Kent’s crafted views are best appreciated from the seat he has designed and scattered throughout his gardens

this rustic seat provide the view of garden to watch the river flow beneath the stone bridge

Kent’s garden often announced themselves with spectacular gates , entrances ,

He has put those gates and entrances on the perimeter of the land owner holdings in roushams

After years of experimenting with cascades and different commissions

he created the spectacular veil of venus at roushams

it had fountain at that time which went up as long as 50 feet in air