Age of discovery  (1600-1700’s)

By the 1600’s, this geometric Italian style evolved into an even more formal one in northern Europe. Plant material was clipped into living sculpture called the French formal garden.

By the mid 1700’s the English led a reaction to this rigid formality by introducing the landscape or picturesque garden style.  Clearly inspired by romantic countryside paintings, some say that travelers to China also fueled this movement. (The Chinese had already been designing in a way that replicated nature at its best.)

Check out posts related to garden styles inspired by this period.  Note that many will have been built in recent times.