The Renaissance led to the re-introduction of all the stately architectural grandeu of the Roman gardens. In the grounds of the principal French palaces this uniformity was followed to an extraordinary degree. Trees, shrubs, flower beds, walks, and earthworks were disposed in stiff lines and geometrical combinations. Stretches of refreshing water became straight canals and circular or oblong basins, adorned with artifical fountains and edged with ashlar work. For the rest, the grounds were crowded with stately ornaments in the form of statues, vases, balustrades, and steps. Yet it was the garden of Versailles, a noted example of this unnatural style, which, a contemporary author asserted, was to him a foretaste of Paradise!
