Capability Brown

Lancelot Brown (1716-1783), more commonly known as Capability Brown, was an English landscape gardener, perhaps the first of his kind.

Born in Northumberland, he was employed by various landed families to improve the layout of their gardens, and worked at Blenheim Palace, Kew Gardens, Warwick Castle, Bowood House and many other locations. His nickname originated from a malapropism of his own devising. He would tell clients that their gardens had "capability", meaning "possibilities" or "potential".

See also: landscape architecture