Summary

The great parks and gardens of Europe come alive by the skilful interplay of natural landscape and architectural elements. Throughout the ages, this relationship has been treated in different ways. The gardens of the Italian renaissance in the 15th or 16th century were based on rational plans, whereas the French parks of the Baroque period seem more geometric in design, and the English parklands of the 18th century present a scenic composition. In this publication historical gardens from all over Europe are graphically analysed. By highlighting the design processes, these analyses also function as models for future landscape projects. More than 30 renowned gardens have been documented with a wealth of illustrations. Amongst the parks presented are Palladio's Villa Emo, the perfect order of the Baroque garden Vaux-le-Vicomte near Paris or the pastoral yet mysterious park of Blenheim Palace near Oxford. Clemens Steenbergen and Wouter Reh are landscape architects and Professors at the University of Delft.