The present landscape of St James's Park was designed by the architect John Nash from 1826 to 1827 at the request of the Prince Regent, who later became George IV.

Nash's design to introduce a natural form to the park saw the creation of an informal network of paths, transformation of the rectangular canal into a lake with curved edges, the creation of gentle mounds and contours in the landscape, and the planting of semi-formal borders mixing together trees, shrubs, climbing and herbaceous plants.

These mixed borders were termed 'floriferous' shrubberies because of the considerable emphasis placed on the use of flowering plants. Over time the shrubberies matured and the trees within them grew and shaded out the flowering plants and many of the original shrubs resulting in the eventual loss of these shrubberies from the park.

### Characteristics of Nash's shrubberies included:

- An intricate mixture of trees, shrubs, herbaceous plants and bulbs.

- Meandering outlines of the shrubberies with spurs of grass extending into the planted areas.

- Grass walks through the shrubberies

- Flowering plants and foliage with different shades of green.

- Use of climbing plants through trees.

The shrubberies at this location, re-planted in 1995, are based on the designs and principles practised by Nash and are maintained to reflect the spirit of his original planting plan.

The Royal Parks acknowledge the assistance of M Batey, V Hinze, W Osbourne and M Laird for their research and advice of the 1995 planting scheme.