Course Description
The history, identification, and use of historic and heirloom plants in period landscapes and gardens. With growing interest in restoration, renovation, and recreation of period landscapes and gardens, an appreciation and knowledge of a variety of historic trees, shrubs, ground covers, bulbs, and herbaceous plants is essential both for landscape architects and historic preservation professionals alike.
Additional Requirements for Graduate Students:
The class is structured to ensure learning through lectures,
discussion, readings, research projects, and field trips.
Graduate students will complete additional presentations, and
research projects.
Each additional research/presentation project will include
additional reading requirements as determined by number of
registered hours.
A research paper and exercise in garden history, description,
and analysis, will be required for graduate students.
Athena Title
HIST PERIOD GARDENS
Semester Course Offered
Offered fall
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
Knowledge Development of an appreciation and understanding of period plants is an essential skill required of preservation professionals involved in inventorying, documenting, and preserving historic landscapes and parks, gardens, estate grounds, cemeteries, etc. A general knowledge of important historic trees, shrubs, ground covers, and herbaceous plants employed in the restoration, recreation, and preservation of period landscapes will be a key objective of the course. In addition, important historic and contemporary literature associated with heirloom plants will be addressed, along with historic properties and sites where heirloom plants can be observed and studied in historic settings. Skills and Value With an increased emphasis on the preservation of a wide range of historic landscapes, an understanding of heirloom plants is essential. Knowledge of period plants, their histories, their use, and application in preserving and restoring historic landscapes will prove invaluable in the expanding field of landscape preservation and interpretation.
Topical Outline
Teaching: The course will be organized around a series of readings, lectures, field trips, and research assignments depending on number of hours registered. Week One: Class overview, class objectives and project assignments. Week Two: Discussion of the use and importance of historic and heirloom plants in the restoration, renovation, and re-creation of a variety of historic landscapes and gardens. Assigned readings. Week Three: Introduction and discussion of American and European botanists and naturalists who played an important role in the collection, identification, and introduction of both native and exotic plants to America in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Assigned readings -additional Week Four: Presentations and discussion of native and exotic woody plants frequently used in American landscapes and ornamental gardens in the Colonial period. And presentations of current research. Weeks Five and Six: Class Presentations and discussion of selected native and exotic plants frequently used in American landscapes and ornamental gardens in the nineteenth century. Week Seven: Field trip to the State Botanical Garden to visit the Heritage Garden to identify and discuss representative examples of native and historic plants traditionally used in southern gardens. Readings and research progress. Week Eight: Review and discuss herbaceous plants (annuals/perennials/herbs) used in American ornamental and kitchen gardens, not only for their aesthetic but medicinal use. Discussion to include greenhouses, cold-frames, hot houses and plant pits. Week Nine: Presentation and discussion of historic bulbs and ground covers employed in eighteenth and nineteenth century American gardens. Week Ten: Field trip to local historic landscapes and old gardens in the Athens area to observe and identify heirloom plants in traditional historic settings. Week Eleven: Presentation and discussion of the development of historic nurseries in America, along with the use of early nursery catalogues in the study and introduction of historic plants. Week Twelve: Notable American sites and properties with historic landscapes and gardens which have been correctly restored or renovated using appropriate historic and heirloom plants to authenticate period landscape/gardens. Week Thirteen: Important books, pamphlets, and printed material focusing on the identification and documentation of historic plants, along with important individuals and resources associated with historic plant research. Week Fourteen: A presentation and discussion of various sources offering historic and heirloom plants, as well as organizations which support and foster the study of historic landscapes and gardens. Week Fifteen: Presentation of research efforts and class projects.