The
Leasowes is to be found situated in Halesowen on the southern edge
of Birmingham. This 57 hectare park is a beautiful spot that used to be
one of the most visited parks in the UK. It has a hidden past that
makes it one of the most influential landscapes of the 18th century. It
is listed on the English Heritage Register as a Grade 1 Park and Garden
of special historic interest in England.
We have
to go back to 1743 to understand the significance of this park.
A poet by the name of William Shenstone created a garden from his
farmland and changed the landscape to create a wooded valley with open
grassland, streams and a lake. Shenstone was a poet and admitted to the
fact that he made a poor farmer. However, using a very limited budget
he transformed this landscape into a landscaped garden which he called
' ferme ornee', meaning ornamental farm.
The
Leasowes thus
became one of the first natural landscape gardens in England. Shenstone
did not attempt to follow the formal designs of the Italian and French
style gardens and enjoyed the rewards of his efforts in his own
lifetime with large numbers of visitors appreciating the park and his
particular style.
The
park today has
seen some restoration and care but over the years the garden has
declined to an extent that it is now mainly overgrown and woodland.
Currently, attempts are being made to return the landscape and gardens
to its former glory. More information is available on the Leasowes
Restoration Project website which can be found at:
