Formal gardens such as those of Versaille express the view that Man's relationship to Nature is essentialy tyranical. From shrubs shaped by the art of topiary to tightly clipped hedges and geometrically shaped plantings, these formal gardens suggest that the will and art of man must be imposed on Nature in order to create beautiful surroundings. Man must dominate and control Nature with absolute force regulated by rules applied with mathematical precision. In this view of the relationship of Man and Nature, Man is at the center, surrounded by a Nature which has been manipulated to call attention to Man's indomitable will and power. The emerging aesthetic of the landscape garden, however, gives the balance of power to Nature.
Nature appears to be free from the restraint and stricture of the formal garden.
This shift in garden aesthetic in England has political implications. And when a landscape garden did not come already equipped with a real piece of Gothic architecture, garden designers did not hesitate to create a modern imitation of a gothic monument or ruined chapel to echo the depth of English historical tradition. These imitation Gothic monuments are the beginning of the Gothic Revival movement in architecture. Stowe Gardens in Buckinghamshire provides an excellent example of the use of Gothic influences to convey a political message about old English liberty. Please visit Stowe to see photos of neoclassical and Gothic monuments set in a truly beautiful landscape garden.