Nesfield's parterres

William Hooker had particularly objected to Nesfield's Palm House parterres. But the geometric parterres and East Terrace were not only an essential part of the original setting of the Palm House, but central to the 19th century design of the Royal Botanic Gardens.

Nesfield's text that accompanied his plans states that the parterres were designed with an emphasis on the long-term practicalities of maintaining the gardens. For example, stone kerbing would minimise the erosion of the design through time, and remove the labour of maintaining turf edges. Nesfield's notes on the side of the designs may have been intended to mitigate some of Hooker’s concerns.

Nesfield also designed a further set of geometrical parterres to line the south side of the Orangery, but though the ground was levelled in preparation it seems they were never built. Hooker's apparent dislike of Nesfield's geometric gardens may explain why, and may also explain why both Burton and John Smith designed the more curvaceous parterres built in the Herbaceous Ground.

Nesfield also landscaped Burton's main Broad Walk and the formal plantings along its length were central features in the landscape design of the Gardens, seen by all its visitors.

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