Gardens

In England, the first noteworthy Renaissance garden was created at the end of the 15th century for the royal palace at Richmond. In the fashion that would become popular in England during the 16th century, this garden had galleries and covered walkways. Palace gardens of the 16th century, such as that of Hampton Court, featured elements of both French and Italian design. Usually at least one area was strictly geometrical, divided into quarters with a knot garden in each segment. Knot gardens, originating in France, consisted of interlacing strips of plants that created a sort of carpet design. Mounts and mazes were also popular, especially in the rather large gardens of aristocratic houses. In Poland, Italian garden design predominated, with terraces being the major feature of several Renaissance gardens. As in Italy, Polish aristocrats favored gardens extending from both sides of the domicile,

Architecture and Urban Planning

So that a pleasant garden view could be enjoyed from several places inside the house. Renaissance-style gardens did not become popular in Germany until the latter 16 th century, after gardening books in Italian and French had been translated into German. The gardens of Germany featured Italianate elements, such as grottoes, and French structures, such as pavilions. Important German gardens were found in Munich and Heidelberg, and in several Austrian cities. Because of Arabic traditions, both Portugal and Spain had Renaissance gardens with fountains and large, reflective pools of water. Usually laid out in geometric arrangements, these gardens had cool arcades alongside the pools, with most of the surfaces decorated with colorful tiles. The best surviving example is the garden of the Alcazar in Seville.