Gardener to wealthy who raked in several fortunes
He acquired his nickname from his habit of telling aristocrats that their landscapes had ‘‘great capabilities’’, but new research reveals he also had an impressive capability to make himself rich.
Lancelot ‘‘Capability’’ Brown, the landscape architect who was baptised 300 years ago next Tuesday, earned the equivalent of £509 million (NZ$919m) in just over 30 years from designing 200 gardens. His clients included George III, six prime ministers, seven dukes, 26 earls, 19 knights and baronets, two generals and a judge.
By the time he died, he had been paid £54m for maintaining the grounds at Hampton Court Palace, according to a study of his personal account book. After the king, his next-highest paying client was Lord Clive, who paid him £51.8m for work on Claremont house and garden in Surrey. He earned £35.3m from the Duke of Marlborough for 11 years transforming the grounds of Blenheim Palace, including using ‘‘tree-moving machines’’.
His work for Lord Palmerston on Broadlands, Hampshire earned him £34.6m. The Earl of Bute, prime minister from 1762 to 1763, paid Brown £31.8m million for work on two properties including Luton Hoo, where he dammed a river to form two lakes.
Professor Sir Roderick Floud, the historian who conducted the study published by the Royal Horticultural Society’s Lindley Library, said Brown had taken advantage of the fashion among aristocrats for flaunting their wealth and displaying their good taste by creating great gardens.
‘‘He was a great businessman as well as an excellent ‘improver’, as he called himself,’’ said Floud.
‘‘The British aristocracy were spending very large sums on gardening. It was for a variety of reasons: you are displaying your wealth; you are providing a nice venue for holidays, love affairs and conspiracies; you are demonstrating that you in the height of fashion. People in the 18th century regarded gardening as equivalent to poetry and literature, as one of the arts. You could display your taste and discernment in gardening as much as in buying pictures. [Brown] advantage of that.’’
Brown’s actual earnings were £320,000 but Floud said this was took the equivalent of £509m when adjusted for the change in average earnings. The account book will be displayed at the library in London from September 5 to October 29.
Brown gave most of his money to his family and the book records few personal purchases. He did, however, indulge in gambling, spending the equivalent of £180,000 on lottery tickets. No winnings are recorded. He spent £21m buying an estate, Fenstanton in Huntingdonshire, but showed little interest in transforming his own garden.
Fiona Davison, head of exhibitions at the Lindley Library, said: ‘‘Brown created the vistas and waterways that have come to represent the ideal English countryside. His account book gives a glimpse of how he was running a business on a truly national scale.’’