Gardens in England

Gardens in England

Gardens in England have been around for centuries. Some of the earliest recorded gardens were those created by the Romans when they occupied England. The Roman Gardens in England were probably of two sorts.

Utilitarian gardens were created to produce food for the garrisons. Roman Emperor Charlemagne dictated that all Romans should attempt to grow a wide variety of herbs, vegetables and fruits to stay healthy. The list comprised over 70 items, most of which were able to be grown in England, so likely were. The Romans would also have created more elaborate gardens for the homes of the wealthy military leaders who were residing in England at the time. These gardens would be styled on the formal gardens on Italy at that time and probably included water features and other formal, geometric styles.

After the Romans left, the gardens in England probably went through a temporary decline while the political climate stabilized. What emerged was a very different style of garden created inside the protection of the medieval castles. Small, raised gardens for walking around were created, with a single topiary inside the garden. As the medieval years turned into the Renaissance the gardens again transitioned. Roman formality and symmetry can be seen in both knot gardens and the early parterres. Symmetry was left behind as the designs became more elaborate and intricate. Finally in the mid 18th century, all these early gardens were obliterated by the landscape movement. These are the gardens in England that the country is now famous for. Rolling lawns and pastoral views were in vogue. One of the major landscape architects was Lancelot Brown, who became known as Capability Brown, influenced an enormous number of gardens in England that were owned by wealthy Dukes, Earls and other statesmen. These are also the gardens that the Early Americans saw and recreated when they built their mansions on the east coast (Biltmore, Longwood Gardens etc. are styled this way).

Travel and global influences has also changed the gardens in England over the last century or so. The perennial borders that thrive in the climate were part of the Arts and Craft movement that romanticized country living in the late 19th, early 20th centuries.

A current trend to include modern art in the gardens also seems to be influencing the many larger homes.

Fortunately, some of the older, pre-landscape movement designs are being researched and recreated. New technology and a field of multi disciplined workers has allowed this new area of research to uncover exactly what was in the garden at Kenilworth Castle when Queen Elizabeth I was visiting, as well as what the Romans were growing.

Over the next few years, this research on the gardens in England will give a new reason to visit the gardens. You will be able to see both the older historical gardens recreated as well as the evolution of many of the current, larger homes as they include more natural and artistic elements into their gardens.