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Garden Design in America


Course Description

Design traditions which have shaped American gardens over the past 200 years with emphasis on the twentieth century, and plants, uses, design forms, and environmental conditions through which these traditions have been expressed. Designing gardens informed by traditional models.

Additional Requirements for Graduate Students:
Graduate students are expected to serve leading roles within the studio and demonstrate their leadership during group project assignments. Additional work is expected and will be assigned to graduate students in addition to the undergraduate requirements. The quality of the work will demonstrate excellence and greater depth in design thinking and theory, design fundamentals, graphic communication, and written description/explanation. For every studio project assigned, additional research, design drawings, and presentation requirements are expected (e.g., case study research, illustrative and technical drawings, and written narrative/descriptions).


Athena Title

Garden Design in America


Undergraduate Prerequisite

LAND 4060 or LAND 4060S


Graduate Prerequisite

LAND 6020


Semester Course Offered

Offered fall


Grading System

A - F (Traditional)


Course Objectives

This course will reinforce skills learned in prerequisite studio courses, which may include, but are not limited to, the following: design fundamentals; design process; graphic and written communication; site inventory and analysis; illustrative analog and digital graphics; construction detailing; construction documents; site engineering and stormwater management; plant selection; and planting design. Students will identify and apply current and historical/cultural thinking to their planting design solutions. Students will demonstrate the ability to critically analyze a design (specifically Planting Plans) based on past precedents. Students will demonstrate excellence in preparing soundly conceived, fully developed and professionally drawn planting designs, which successfully solve the design problem. Students will demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the planting design process from conceptual ideas to final design drawings.


Topical Outline

Garden Design Case Study: History and Design Garden Design Master Plan Garden Design Site Plan Garden of my Own


Syllabus