Romantic > Landscapes & Gardens > Intro

Romantic landscapes carried even further the Picturesque interest in natural wildness as a principle of design. Rather than trying to create pretty effects with such made objects as ruins or framing windows or trees, the Romantic garden was one in which the hand of the designer was supposed to be almost invisible. Another characteristic of the Romantic garden was the adapation of garden styles from other cultures, such as Japan and India. Finally, the “hermitage” or monastic retreat, the hobby farm, and other imitations of what designers saw as the simple life of the common people, were created for rich patrons to enjoy.