Derbyshire -- Chatsworth Estate

One of the most famous estates in England, Chatsworth is the home of the Cavendish family. Its first house was built in the 16th century by "Bess of Hardwick" and her second husband, Sir William Cavendish. The property passed through the family until in the late 17th century the 1st Duke of Devonshire undertook major construction of both the house and formal gardens, with George London and Henry Wise as the latter's designers. Significant changes to the surrounding park and garden were made by the 4th Duke in the 18th century, and Lancelot "Capability" Brown was commissioned to destroy most of the formal gardens and to give the park a natural romantic look. The present garden's design is the work of Sir Joseph Paxton, who came to Chatsworth in 1826. Under Paxton exotic plants from the Americas and Asia were introduced, and the Emperor Fountain and Great Conservatory (demolished around 1920) were constructed. The images in the Archives of American Gardens were taken in 1906 by American landscape architect Thomas W. Sears and feature the exterior of the Chatsworth mansion, its surrounding gardens and park, and estate villages such as Edensor and Beeley. Edensor was designed and built in the 19th century, replacing an earlier village that was razed because it obstructed the view from the Chatsworth mansion.

Persons associated with the gardens include George London (landscape architect, 17th century); Henry Wise (landscape architect, 17th century); Lancelot "Capability" Brown (landscape architect, 18th century) and Sir Joseph Paxton (landscape architect and horticulturist, 1826-1865).