The harmony of shapes

To attain the harmony of shapes was the main aim of Renaissance culture. Returning from journeys and war campaigns, people brought along new ideas for garden design, mostly from Italy and France. They created spacious gardens, preferably situated on slopes with a panoramic view of the landscape. Many of them were real works of art. Typical elements were the walkways, arranged in a star-shaped pattern, the square, rectangular or round beds that were lined with gravel- and shell-mosaics. The central design element was the trimmed box tree. Flowers and bulb plants were added as vivid, colorful spots. Courtly life had reached its peak with lavish feasts and a luxurious lifestyle.