PRACTICAL BOOK OF GARDEN ARCHITECTURE 



Andre Le Notre, who is now recognized as the 

 most famous of all the men who influenced French 

 gardening, doubtless drew his inspirations from 

 these old gardens of charm and mystery, but instead 

 of following in their footsteps he originated features 

 that made all of his work impressive. As he was born 

 in Paris in 1613 he was fortunate in living in an age 

 when his conscientious work should be best appreci- 

 ated the age of Louis XIV in France. In this age 

 of expensive luxury and devotion to pomp, ceremony, 

 and various arts, Le Notre was encouraged by the 

 king to give full sway to his artistic talent. Having 

 been carefully educated by his father (who was head 

 gardener to the king and who also held the position 

 of Director of Works), it was intended that he should 

 excel as an artist. He studied painting under the 

 best known masters ; but his love for gardening made 

 him dissatisfied with the life of an. artist, and encour- 

 aged him to devote his life to artistic landscape 

 architecture. During a visit to* Italy to study the 

 landscape work there, Le Notre superintended the 

 laying out of several famous gardens, but he de- 

 voted the most of his time to French gardens of re- 

 nown, after he had accomplished his masterpiece at 

 Versailles to charm the beauty-loving Louis XIV. 



The French ideas in garden architecture carried 

 out on prominent American country seats of to-day 



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