Introduction from Repton's Red Book for Sunderidge, Bromley, London

Humphry Repton (1752-1818) set out to be the leading landscape gardener of his time and famously created Red Books for his clients. Repton’s Red Books were a unique marketing tool. Compiled after he had visited a client, walking their grounds and discussing the landscape’s potential, the books are filled with watercolours showing ‘before’ and ‘after’ scenes. Lifting a paper flap, or reveal, shows a view transformed. Repton described his Red Books as a ‘means of making my ideas equally visible, or intelligible to others’. This introduction is from the Red Book he created for 'Sunderidge' [Sundridge Park] in Bromley, South East London. Repton writes; ' Sir, Altho' the principal object of my visit to Sunderidge, was to mark some trees, and decide on the fate of others, yet I consider it my duty to give a few general hints for its improvement...'