Nymphenburg Gardens the Nymphenburg Palace

Nymphenburg Gardens

The Nymphenburg Palace Gardens

The Nymphenburg Palace Gardens were inspired by the formal gardens at the Palace of Versailles in Paris, France. The gardens began small and in the 18th century were transformed into a formal landscape setting of grand proportions. One of the reasons for their similarity to the Palace Gardens of Versailles is the redesign and expansion of the gardens was performed by French gardener, Charles Carbonet, who also designed the later renditions of the gardens at Versailles (Aviewoncities.com). The following will explore the design of the Gardens at Nymphenburg and will compare them to the gardens at Versailles.

The palace and gardens at Nymphenburg are situated four miles from Munich, Germany. Like Versailles, they lie on a perfectly flat surface. The land at Nymphenburg sits on a raised table from which one can see for many miles. Both the gardens at Versailles and those at Nymphenburg feature water canals as focal points of the design. The gardens at Nymphenburg mechanically supplied and driven by steam (Gardenvisit.com, 2008). Nymphenburg presents challenges in terms of climate. These challenges were overcome by careful planning.

Nymphenburg contains carefully planned groupings of trees that serve as focal points and add mass to the design. The gardens seem to dwarf the palace, which was intended as a country cottage, rather than a grand formal residence. By comparison, the palace at Versailles seems to be more in scale with the gardens. The intention of the designer was evident in their sense of overall scale in the relationships of softscape to hardscape. The key consideration in this regard was determined by the purpose of the two central structures of the landscape, the palaces.

Both the gardens of Nymphenburg and Versailles are so enormous that there is little sense of enclosure, although both gardens are designed with rooms that have formal borders. The canal features of both gardens pull them together and give them a sense of cohesion and continuity. Each garden room within the designs of both palaces are complete within themselves, which is the only feature that keeps them from being overwhelming to the visitor. All of the rooms fit together like geometric pieces of he puzzles, giving the design a sense of rhythm. Hardscape divides the softscape sections, providing a sense of formality and structure. Hardscape surfaces contrast with softscape and water features, providing for endless texture within and between elements.

Nymphenburg contains numerous buildings that serve a variety of functions from an aviary to temples. The buildings are arranged on the outside, with the garden in the center. This gives the garden an informal feel. Both gardens use the canals and fountains as character-defining features. One of the key differences between Nymphenburg and Versailles is the manner in which small features are framed. At Nymphenburg, formal small feature beds may be bordered by grass, or if there is a concrete feature, grass still occupies a space between the feather and the path. At Versailles, small feature flower gardens are bordered by cement, giving them a sense of order, formality, and control. The grass borders at Nymphenburg convey a sense of nature and freedom.

The spaces between the edges of the various rooms at Versailles are filled with baroque style patterns. The spaces between the edges of the various rooms at Nymphenburg are meadows of luscious and inviting grass. Nymphenburg has numerous benches, inviting the guest to sit and relax. Versailles has miles of walking space, but few places to just sit, by comparison. These features makes Nymphenburg a more inviting place for tourists. Versailles is more suitable for conducting formal discussions of state. Nymphenburg creates a sense of harmony and peace. Versailles captures the opulence of the wealthy at the time.

Both Nymphenburg and Versailles make extensive use of Greek statues as key features. The statues are used in many ways throughout the gardens. They are used to frame other portions of the garden, addition a sense of continuity and balance. They are also used to highlight certain other features. In some places they were used go add interest or focal point to a monotonous design. The reasons for using these various statues are numerous. In gardens that have a grand expanse, the statues can bring the focal point closer to the viewer, using the grand expanse as a backdrop rather than a main feature. Regularly spaced trees, small pillars with finials, and shaped hedges provide a sense of time along the grand causeways of both gardens.

Small features, such as annual beds, and detailed statues provide a contrast in texture, color, and form. They both highlight and minimize the expansiveness of the open spaces. They contrast with the open spaces, yet bring the viewer's eyes to something close and delicate. Both gardens depend on contrast between adjacent elements, as well as the contrast between large and small features of the gardens. Contrast is the key to creating a sense of cohesion in the design by featuring borders and lines.