Ornamental Lakes

Wendy Bishop's exciting new book takes a radical new approach to garden history. Rather than concentrating on a particular chronological period or group of artists, she focuses on the development, over time, of a particular aspect of landscape design, the construction and design of lakes and other large water bodies. Meticulously researched and carefully integrated with wider narratives in garden history, this scholarly work casts a mass of new light on the designed landscapes of post-medieval England. -Tom Williamson, Professor of Landscape History, University of East Anglia From fishponds to water gardens, cascades, lakes and reservoirs, this pioneering study is the first to trace the emergence and development of water in the designed landscape. Copiously illustrated and with a wealth of scholarly research presented in an engaging and accessible style, it will be required reading for anyone interested in landscape and garden history. -Timothy Mowl, Emeritus Professor of History of Architecture and Designed Landscapes, University of Bristol This is a fascinating study of the use of water in the designed landscape. While focusing on the man-made lakes of the eighteenth-century landscape park, it ranges from medieval moats and millponds to modern reservoirs. Encompassing economics, politics, aesthetics, topography and geology, Ornamental Lakes is both lively and scholarly, and a delight to read. -Katie Campbell, Garden Historian This survey of lake-making is most welcome, focussing on a subject that has received surprisingly little attention given the central importance of lakes in 18th-century British landscape gardens. The author illuminates the development , impact and range of lakes, the changing use of terminology and the practicalities of construction. -Michael Symes, Garden Historian