Explain the Battle of Styles fought over the future of garden design in the last quarter of the 19th century, and the outcome of that Battle.

The Battle of the Styles was one that was fought at the end of the 19^th century, regarding the future of garden design. With numerous characters, style preferences, and inspirations, the battle was ultimately fought between the horticulturalist and the architect, each side with a contrasting idea about what gardens should look like and what their purpose should be.

Two crucial characters in the Battle of Styles were Sir Reginald Blomfield (the architect), and William Robinson (the gardener). Robinson and Blomfield had very contrasting views on what they thought made a magnificent garden. Robinson, being a horticulturalist, felt that the focus of the garden should truly be on the plants, and believed that one must really know and understand the plants used in the garden in order for it to be successful. Because of this, he believed that shape, form, texture, height, fullness and color should all be taken into consideration, as well as blooming time and length. His style was seen as more wild and naturalistic. Robinson disliked the traditional style Victorian garden, and wished to move away from a garden that looked completely manipulated by man.

Blomfield, however, was an architect with a much more structured approach to gardening. Inspired by English and French renaissance styles. He was inspired by clear cut lines and linear images, and focused more on the structure of the garden than the plants in it, contrasting to Robinson’s more wild gardens.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reginald_Blomfield

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01075/gardening-graphics_1075750a.jpg

Because of garden designers like Gertrude Jekyll and Sir Edwin Lutyens, there was no real winner of the Battle of Styles, because a new style emerged from the controversy, the arts and crafts garden, which adopted stylistic methods and characteristics from both the architect and the horticulturalist. Together, Jekyll and Lutyens designed Munstead Wood in 1897, and proved that the arts and crafts garden truly embodied the best of both worlds. 

http://kimonamission.files.word

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http://www.godalmingmuseum.org.uk/uploads/im

ages/People/Jekyll/Jekyll,_Gertrude,_middle_aged_Y.JPG