The name of the first star is André Le Nôtre, who lived from 1613 to 1700.
Notable examples of his designs include Versailles, Chatsworth, and Rest in Bedfordshire. He has worked extensively and we are fortunate enough to have remnants of his work at Althorp and especially Boughton House.
Around the same time, John Van Nost was also in business. He was undoubtedly the greatest garden ornamental maker of the early 18th century.
In the green court of Canons Ashby House, his statue of a fake shepherd boy, and the cartouche above the west door were awe-inspiring.
The gardens were originally laid out by George London and Henry Wise in 1708.
They were two of the most important English garden designers of their time, and created the English Baroque style.
The original designs had a huge influence on other designers, such as Gertrude Jekyll and Edwin Lutyens.
I suppose most people have heard of Lancelot’s “Capability” Brown. He was no stranger to Northamptonshire and became the chief gardener of the Duke of Grafton.
The Duke lived at Euston Hall, Suffolk, and at Wakefield Lodge, near Towcester, where the park’s “Capability” developed in 1750.
The house was designed by William Kent with whom Brown worked in Stowe, five miles away.
‘Capacity’ also landscapes of Astrop, Ainho and Castle Ashby here in the county.
The lake, bridge, beautiful trees, temples, and other “folly” buildings of his can still be seen at Castle Ashby. I saw them from the air in a helicopter model lesson! bewitching!
Humphrey Repton (1752-1818) followed Brown. In fact, not only was he the next major name in garden design, but he also took on Brown’s job as chief gardener at Hampton Court.
Although Brown had pioneered his broad vision of the countryside of England, Repton was the first to be called a landscape gardener.
On occasional “open days,” you can see his work in Courteenhall and Laxton Hall, both of which are private homes.
I believe there is a public right called Medshire Road from Harleston Post Office to Lower Harleston. Anyway, I walked in and saw what was left of Repton’s wonderful landscape of Harleston Hall, which was demolished in 1940.
No one has stopped me in my career. You may seem important!
I wonder exactly who designed the gardens at Lyveden New Bield, which the National Trust took care of.
It was started by Sir Thomas Tresham in 1595, but the extent of his influence on them remains unknown.
They’re a really rare and wonderful example of Elizabethan landscape design with water parks, terraces, canals, and what I call the mounds of a snail’s path.
The orchard recreates rare varieties of the time and the whole is of course crowned with an unfinished garden house covered in religious symbols.
One of the many true gems of Northamptonshire.