A designed landscape is an area of land which has been modified by people for primarily aesthetic effect.
A designed landscape may comprise landform, water, built structures, trees and plants, all of which may be naturally occurring or introduced.
Many designed landscapes take advantage of existing geographical features, emphasising them through the planting of woodlands, or the creation of artificial lakes.
They may also be more subtle, resulting from the enclosure of land, and the planting of functional woodlands such as shelter belts.
Patterns of such features may be of use to historians in identifying the extent of country estates, and in dating agricultural improvements.