Influential designed landscapes in the UK

Introduction

Design has been important in the British landscape for centuries. Many people are familiar with the gardens of large country houses, but in fact designed landscapes have a very complex history dating from Roman times and incorporating influences from across the world.

The history of garden design is tied up with the politics of the day, and the fortunes of royalty and aristocrats. It is also linked to other branches of the arts, such as painting and sculpture, and to writers such Jane Austen, who set much of her action in 18th-century country houses and their parkland landscapes.