Introduction:
Throughout history, gardens were planted to give civilizations places of beauty, to make a political statement, or to showcase rare or interesting plants, or simply to have a location where one could escape the rigidity of everyday life and relax. It is interesting to note that most civilizations had or still have their own style of garden. The Japanese have the tea garden and gardens at religious sites; the Babylonians had their hanging gardens; and the French designed impressive formal gardens to surround their chateaus and palaces, such as Versailles. It can be stated that the cultural history of each civilization is displayed through their gardens.
The Japanese, for example, designed their gardens to harmonize humans with the world around them through aspects of nature. Features such as panels of raked sand have relevance in Shintoism in that sand or stone covered the ground to purify sacred sites and to represent bodies of water and mountain ranges.[1] Then you have the French who used their formal gardens as a display of power. Rulers such as Louis XIV had king-sized gardens constructed to show off their position to the world. The topiaries, massive fountains, and statues of sovereigns in these gardens boldly pronounced the pride France’s monarchs held in themselves and their nation.[2]
While the descriptive language used in the previous paragraph may seem a bit grand when you’re thinking about landscaping your property, it is important to take note of the landscape design’s place in cultural history. You will find as you study historic landscape design, that many of the concepts within these theories are applied in current landscapes—perhaps even in your own backyard.
The reason I wanted to write this blog series is because as I go through the design process with some of my clients, it becomes clear that they don’t have a good knowledge-base of garden styles. Often times, people really don’t know what style they like or what would best suit their property. A good place to look for information—and inspiration—is to learn about the various historical types of landscape design styles that exist and then think about how to apply their specific features and attributes to work with your property. This series is not meant to be read as if I’m defending a particular garden style; it is merely intended to inform. To begin the series, I will be covering the English garden.
1. The English Garden
The English garden was, for many years, influenced by garden design culture from other nations. Over time, the English deviated from the trends of other countries and created a new style of garden that was unique to them. The English garden is certainly a strong reflection of British culture. During the early 18th century, the English wanted to distance themselves from the culture of the autocratic French through their approach to garden design. This meant that formal gardens gave way to more naturalistic-looking gardens.
From a philosophical point of view, English garden designers promoted the idea of genius loci (which is Latin for “spirit of place”) to help determine how a landscape design would be laid out rather than follow the strict formality of the French garden. This new garden style also reflected the claims of contemporary English philosopher John Locke in that the individual should be free from the monarch’s influences, the empowerment of the individual, and that sensory experiences and inductive reasoning were important means by which to observe and understand the world.[3][4] This philosophical approach to landscape design meant that the garden was to serve as a place for meditation, to give a sense of wonder and appreciation for nature, and as a tool for hosting social events.[5]
The Palladian Bridge at Stowe House in Buckinghamshire, UK. The gardens at Stowe are a good example of English picturesque landscape design.
Image Source: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/stowe
Another influencer on the formation of the English garden is founded on the principles of the Picturesque Movement that swept across the United Kingdom during the 18th century. Artists from the Picturesque Movement such as Claude Lorrain and Gaspard Poussin composed paintings of bucolic landscapes that subsequently had a major impact on garden design theory in England.[6] During this time period, garden designers believed that designing landscapes should be like painting: an art form rather than a result of rigid adherence to mathematical rules.[7]
Claude Lorrain's Pastoral Landscape.
Image Source: lelorrain.louvre.fr/en/html/ll09.html
Here in the United States, many people love the quaintness and rustic beauty of English gardens. Because of the history between the two nations, it seems natural that Americans would hold the English garden in high esteem. During the 17th and 18th centuries, many colonists planned gardens that reflected the ones back in England. For example, Thomas Jefferson was highly influenced by gardens he had seen in England when he laid out his personal gardens at Monticello (see the photo below).[8] The style can also be seen in later works of American landscape design. Central Park in New York is a prime example of a landscape based on English garden design principles. In fact, Fredrick Law Olmsted (the landscape architect who designed Central Park) conceived of his concept for Central Park after he had completed a tour of England. It is also interesting to note that the English garden was not so much about making a political statement as the formal gardens of France were, nor was the English garden an embellishment to the local religion as in Japan; it was a garden style developed to evoke the emotions and to create beauty. American culture can certainly appreciate this ideology. A more detailed look at American garden styles will be covered in a separate post that will be coming later in this blog series.
The Winding Flower Path at Monticello. Jefferson incorporated forms from gardens he had observed while traveling in England into his design for the grounds at Monticello.
Image Source: 3.bp.blogspot.com
The Gapstow Bridge in Central Park.
Photo taken by the author.
The gardens at Thornewood Castle in Lakewood, Washington. The gardens at Thornewood Castle were designed by the Olmsted brothers (the sons of Fredrick Law Olmsted, designer of Central Park) to be an English style garden.
Image Source: www.thornewoodcastle.com
Today, many landscape designers incorporate elements from the English garden into contemporary designs. Many designers interpret the concept of genius loci to mean that a landscape design should be adapted to the natural context of the site in which the design is located. For example, a site that is low-lying in its original form should be allowed to remain that way if possible, and the plant species chosen to fill said low-lying space should be ones that are native to that type of ecological zone. Also, many homeowners today desire to create a garden on their property that reflects aspects of the English garden: curvilinear forms, informal plantings, and less formality throughout the composition in general.
When considering the English garden, it is worth noting that the more naturalistic forms promoted by this school of thought are appropriate for many plots of land here in East Tennessee. This is the case because in order to create a formal garden with lots of straight lines and symmetry, a good bit of flat land is necessary. Since East Tennessee is predominately hilly, trying to establish a formal landscape can be problematic—not to mention rather expensive—in terms of the site design and construction.
Recreating an English garden may not be the right choice for every piece of property, however. That is why it is best to hire a landscape design professional such as Shippey Landscape Architecture to evaluate your property, discuss options with you, and then craft a design that is most suitable for your particular situation. To learn more about getting the right landscape design for your property, reach out today. Who knows, a landscape design styled after the English garden could be the perfect fit for you!
Sources:
1. “Elements/ Sand and Pebbles”. The Japanese Garden. Bowdoin College http://learn.bowdoin.edu/japanesegradens/elements/sand/sand.html
2. Rogers, Elizabeth Barlow. Landscape Design: A Cultural and Architectural History. New York: Harry N Abrams, 2001. Page 165.
3. “Locke’s Political Philosophy”. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/locke-political/
4. “Locke’s Philosophy of Science”. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/locke-philosophy-science/
5. Rogers, Elizabeth Barlow. Landscape Design: A Cultural and Architectural History. New York: Harry N Abrams, 2001. Page 232.
6. “Picturesque”. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/art/picturesque
7. Rogers, Elizabeth Barlow. Landscape Design: A Cultural and Architectural History. New York: Harry N Abrams, 2001. Page 235.
8. “Winding Flower Border”. Thomas Jefferson Foundation. https://www.monticello.org/site/house-and-gardens/winding-flower-border