It was an accidental discovery and just luck that I stumbled across them.
For a young American who'd never seen or experienced the style and landscape.....I was kinda amazed. Things were organized....paths were professionally laid out....springs and ponds existed.....statues of Greek Goddesses were in full display.....and an occasional park bench sat there for you to quickly sit and reflect upon life.
There aren't that many English Gardens in the US. Central Park in NY City is among the best, and DC does try to make an attempt at such landscaping.
You could sit and read through through a piece of Robert Burns, Heminway, or Steinbeck. You could ponder upon fall approaching and the browning of the leaves. You could sit and ponder upon strange cultures or mysterious habits.
The English Gardens concept landscape started around 1700.....about fifty years after the Thirty Years War ended. Life was improving....people were living happy lives.....money was in abundance.....and the plague or Black Death was not apparently coming back (so they believed).As Europeans came around to England and observed the idea....it spread.
Some of the finer English Gardens today? Vienna, Paris, Sydney and Melbourne are on the list.....but there's probably a hundred four-star gardens in existence.
This past weekend, I spent some time walking around the Karlsuae Park on the east side of Kassel. It faces the palace....the Orangerie, the place of residence for Landgrave Charles. They started in 1703 and finished in 1711. Today? It's a museum for science, and worth the visit, if you are in the local area (budget two hours for the museum, and at least three for the park).
The Karlsuae Park is an inviting place.....crafted with various trails for walking or biking. Dogs seem to love the open green areas.
If you needed some relaxation and a chance to really recharge your view on things.....then find a decent English Garden and go have a two-hour walk.
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