How did English landscape gardeners change garden design in the 18th century?

In the 18th century, English landscape gardeners led a revolutionary shift away from the rigid, architectural style of previous eras, which relied on geometric patterns, topiaries, and straight vistas. Influenced by figures like Alexander Pope and Joseph Addison, designers began to prioritize natural forms, arguing that man’s work should appear indistinguishable from nature.12

Key changes included:

• Rejection of Symmetry: Designers like William Kent championed the idea that "nature abhors a straight line," replacing formal parterres with irregular paths, meandering streams, and natural tree growth.12
• Visual Unification: The use of the ha-ha—a sunken fence—allowed gardens to blend seamlessly into the surrounding countryside.2
• Naturalistic Landscapes: Lancelot "Capability" Brown became the foremost practitioner of this style, creating expansive, harmonious landscapes defined by rolling turf, clumps of trees, and irregularly shaped lakes.32
• The Picturesque: Later in the century, the picturesque movement, led by figures like Sir Uvedale Price, challenged Brown’s smooth naturalism by advocating for more dramatic, varied, and irregular textures, such as rocky chasms and ruins.42