Millican was the ‘man on the ground’ supervising the land forming, drainage and turfing while Brown made visits to inspect and advise.
In his career, Brown’s pre-eminent period of work came between 1750 and 1780, so his Chatsworth commission was relatively early, but at a time when his style was becoming established. He specialised in the creation of rolling green slopes right up to the walls of the principal House, trees carefully placed singly or in clumps particularly on hills, a perimeter belt of trees to enclose the view, carriage drives with carefully planned views, and a lake or widened river of ‘natural’ appearance in the middle ground. All of these signature features he employed to great effect at Chatsworth. Together with the 4th Duke, Brown directed a programme of tree planting which spread across the landscape – to cover the Stand escarpment behind the house, to ornament the new parts of the park, and cover the horizons to the west.
Explore the landscape and learn more about Lancelot 'Capability' Brown in a talk and guided walk: The Great Gardeners of Chatsworth.
