The 18th century landscape is viewed by many as being the pinnacle of English garden design. From its early Arcadian experiments and passion for all things classical, through to the vast and minimal landscapes of Capability Brown and his contemporaries, the gardening century was brought to a close with conflicting appeals for rugged wildness and domestic prettiness.
In a new five part series sponsored by the Gardens Trust, Dr Laura Mayer will explore some of the themes and trends that emerged during the century, with a particular focus on the role of art, antiquity and architecture in shaping 18th landscape designs. The series is designed to pick up on themes and ideas not covered in any depth in last year’s introductory course on the History of Gardens – and so may appeal whether or not you joined us for the earlier series. The ticket for the entire series costs £35 for the 5 sessions, or you may purchase a ticket for individual sessions, costing £8. [Gardens Trust members £26.25 or £6 each]. To register through Eventbrite, click HERE. Attendees will be sent a Zoom link 2 days (and again a few hours) prior to the start of the first talk (If you do not receive this link, please contact us), and a link to the recorded session will be sent shortly after each session and will be available for 2 weeks.
Week Four on November 11 will focus on The Architectural Aspirations of Capability Brown and Humphry Repton, Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown and Humphry Repton are famous for being the century’s most prolific landscape gardeners, and yet both men harboured strong architectural ambitions. Significantly, Brown even referred to himself as a ‘place-maker’, a term specifically chosen to encompass his abilities as both landscaper and architect.
In 1771, Brown formed a resourceful partnership with Henry Holland, a successful builder and architect. In 1796, Repton entered into a formal partnership with the architect John Nash, having previously worked alongside William Wilkins and Samuel and James Wyatt. In 1773, Holland married Brown’s daughter Bridget, whilst Repton’s sons, George Stanley and John Adey, were pre-destined for a career in architecture and apprenticed from a young age to Nash.
This lecture explores the lesser-known, architectural side of Brown and Repton’s careers. It considers how they involved themselves – both directly and indirectly through their sons and business partners – with the broader design of country estates. This included ambitious architectural design, the building of garden temples within the landscape and even interior decorative schemes, all intended to seamlessly integrate a house with its setting.
