The development of the English landscape
garden occurred in phases that coincided
with changing tastes and aesthetic
theories. Early 18th-century gardens,
while developing their naturalistic form,
included numerous architectural features
(temples, Gothic ruins, obelisks, etc.)
that were the focal points of vistas
connected by walks. Later 18th-century
English gardens focused on views and
prospects to natural features. The fi nal
phase was characterized by an increase
in tension and variation characteristic of
the Picturesque movement.