ENGLISH GARDENS - THE ART OF CAPABILITY BROWN / JARDINES INGLESES - EL ARTE DE CAPABILITY BROWN

Hi my dear friends! Do you like gardens? Do you usually go and visit Botanic Gardens? In England they like gardens and visit them as well! Today we are going to know a bit more about the Botanic Garden in London. I hope you'll like it!

Hola mis queridos amigos. ¿Os gustan los jardines? ¿Soléis ir a visitar los Jardines Botánicos? En Inglaterra gustan mucho y visitarlos también. Hoy vamos a conocer un poco más sobre el Real Jardín Botánico de Londres. ¡Espero que os guste! 

Info: from Speak Up magazine

Photos: Kew.Gardens (2)  /  Essentially.England  /  CSSC.Royal.Botanic.Gardens  /  Visit.London  /  London.Walks

ENGLISH GARDENS

THE ART OF THE ARCHITECT AND DESIGNER CAPABILITY BROWN

The English landscape garden was defined in the 18th century by one man: landscape architect Capability Brown.  Born in 1716, Brown's 300th anniversary was celebrated  with special events and activities taking place in many of England's finest parks and gardens. 

People tend to associate gardens with the English, but that is only part of the story.  The earliest formal gardens were in Persia and were in the Islamic style.  Then came the Mediterranean gardens of ancient Greece and Rome.  In Italy the Mediterranean style evolved into the Renaissance garden.  The English adopted the Renaissance style and used it for many years, but that began to change in the 18th century when  designers created a more natural look.  This was the work of two men: William Kent (1685-1748) and Capability Brown (1716-1783).

KEW

One of the best places to see this style is at the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, in West London.  The Gardens' director of horticulture describes the landscapte style as a change from the "strict formality of geometric design".  Instead, it used trees and "water bodies" like small lakes.  Brown did his work at Kew before it became a botanic garden.  Originally Kew consisted of two royal properties, Kew Palace and Richmond Lodge, and Brown redesigned the landscape at the Lodge.

STOWE

Kew Gardens holds special walks and events throughout the year that explore Brown's designs.  So do other places associated with Brown.  Stowe House, for example, is very near Silverstone, the famous Formula One circuit.  Stowe was the home of the Duke of Buckingham and the young Brown was the head gardener there from 1741 to 1751.  He transformed the landscape and even created a "Grecian Valley".  Later Stowe became a boarding school.  Its most famous pupil was business magnate Richard Branson.

YOUNG WINSTON

Another famous piece of Brown landscape is at Blenheim Palace in Oxforshire.  This was built for a soldier, John Churchill, the Duke of Marlborough.  When he won the Battle of Blenheim in 1704, the nation thanked him by giving him a lot of land.  Later Brown redesigned the grounds.  Blenheim Palace was also the birthplace of UK Prime Minister Winston Churchill.

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

Brown made a lot of money from his work and bought a large property in Fenstanton, near Cambridge.  But what about his strange name, Capability?  Actually, this was a nickname.  His real name was Lancelot, but he always told his clients that their property had "capability for improvement".