This examination of Vanbrugh's work as a landscape designer also dicusses other contemporary architects, designers, botanical collectors and illustrators such as Hawksmoor, Wren, Archer and Lord Burlington, and provides a survey of all the significant baroque landscape designs. An introduction sets the cultural and political scene, describing Vanbrugh's early life, architecture and gardening in England and France during the period and one of Vanbrugh's most important commissions in landscape design, Castle Howard. Subsequent chapters cover various topics such as how landscape design changed in response to the needs of the country estate; the relation of parkland to pleasure ground, the new enthusiasm for gardening, the growth of interest in botanical specimens and horticultural innovations, flowers and botany in art, garden monuments, the use of follies, and the importance of the cross-over of ideas between England and France. A final chapter looks at how Vanbrugh's reputation and his designs have survived the succeeding centuries.
