Stowe Landscape Gardens, Buckinghamshire

In June we visited a spot I can now retire from my bucket list, the National Trust's on-going restoration of Stowe Landscape Gardens in Buckinghamshire, supported  by the Royal Oak Foundation. Long considered the ultimate in 18th C. English gardens, it met every one of my expectations, as well as offering yours truly the opportunity to "drive" a golf cart over the paths.

The shifting designs of Stowe in the development of the English Landscape Garden are probably as significant as any in the realm. Not only was it designed by the leading gardeners of the 18th Century, it was built to honor and reflect the great philosophical movements and thinkers of the era, a metaphor for Britain itself.
   Below left, The Temple of British Worthies, honoring such luminaries as Elizabeth I, John Milton, and William Shakespeare; right, two intrepid explorers on their magical steed (in the rain). Please click on the photos for complete  versions.

​   Above left, three of the British Worthies, l to r, Shakespeare, John Locke, Sir Isaac Newton; right, Temple of Ancient Virtue, honoring four ancient Greeks: Socrates, Homer, Lycurgus, and Epaminondas. Both structures were designed by Charles Bridgeman, one of the original developers of Stowe Gardens for Richard Temple, 1st Viscount, later Baron Cobham (1675-1749).  Members of the extended Temple Family, which owned and developed Stowe Park, included many recipients of distinguished aristocratic titles and major government offices in Britain for centuries. 
   Below, left, Temple of Friendship, a gathering place for political discussion and debate; right, the Shell Bridge by William Kent (1685-1748). In addition to Bridgeman and Kent, others such as John Vanbrugh (1664-1726),  James Gibbs (1682-1754), and Lancelot 'Capability' Brown (1716-1783) all contributed, among many, to the landscape and architectural creations at Stowe. We will visit the house, now a school, in a future post.

    Above left, the Doric Arch and statues of the Muses; right, the Chinese House, the earliest surviving Chinese style garden pavilion in Britain designed by Kent in 1738 and moved to  Wotton House nearby about 1751 until restored and returned to Stowe in the 1990's.
    Below left and right, restoring the Bell Gate Lodge. The large sign apologies for the 'mess' and shows original sketches of 1805, which will be the new appearance when the project is completed. This was the main entrance from the parking and other facilities. The original entrance was through the Grand Arch, no longer allowing car and truck traffic.

Above  left, the Corinthian Arch, originally designed to be the stately entrance to Stowe, framing in the distance, Stowe House; right, the Gothic Temple; both photos from Wikipedia Commons; all other photos, except where noted, by Victoria Hinshaw or Kristine Hughes.
​   Below, the Palladian Bridge. similar to the one built at Wilton House, but wide enough for carriages to cross. The architect was James Gibbs who is also credited with the design of the Temple of Friendship and the Queen's Temple.

Above, left, view from inside the bridge; right, a local family admiring the landscape.
      The National Trust writes, "The scale and beauty of Stowe have attracted visitors for over 300 years. Picture-perfect views, winding paths, lakeside walks and temples create a timeless landscape, reflecting the changing seasons. Full of hidden meaning, the gardens were created as an earthly paradise and still cast their spell today."
   Below left, the Gothic Temple from a distance, and right, the Temple of Concord and  Victory,  both pictures from the NT.

Above left, Rotondo with gilded statue of Venus; right, the  Memorial to Captain Cook, both photos from Wikipedia.
     Again, I see how insufficient my photographic talents are in portraying the scope and magnificence of Stowe Gardens. Luckily I can close my eyes and see so much more in my memory.