Capability Brown

Capability Brown was a man made for his time. English society in the 18th century was rich, sophisticated and eager for change. It was a golden age of architecture, and Brown perfected the concept of the landscaped park as an ideal setting for them. Nicknamed "Capability" because of his uncanny knack of assessing "the capabilities of nature", the largely self-taught Brown enhanced the natural landscape with panache and energy, to create an Arcadian world that captivated the fastidious, aristocratic clientele clamoring for his services. During his lifetime he had no rivals, few imitators and only a handful of critics; and today, visitors to the nation's stately homes standing amid the splendor of a capability brown landscaped park continue to marvel at his genius. FOREWORD BY: Roger Turner is an architect and award-winning landscape designer. His books include 'Better Garden Design', the first horticultural monograph ever written on the subject, and 'Capability Brown and the Eighteenth-Century English Landscape'. He has written many articles in popular and learned journals and now lectures widely on gardens, garden design, plants and garden history. SELLING POINTS: With new foreword, images and cover design New "Places to Visit" section listing properties and their websites 1716-2016 A Nationwide Capability Brown Festival will celebrate his life and influence 60 colour illustrations