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GARDENING
Photography provided by ©iStockphoto.com/ ivannna. Cover provided by Timber Press.
WHAT INSPIRED THIS BOOK
Laura L. S. Burchfield: My dear friend Denise, asked me if I would be
interested in collaborating with her. After her first book, Restoring America's
Gardens: An Encyclopedia of Heirloom Ornamental Plants, 1640-1940, which
was primarily about the history of garden plants in the United States, she
realized there was an interest in historical design information, as well.
She thought with our combined talents—hers as a garden historian, researcher,
and horticulturist, and mine as a landscape designer and horticulturist
with the love of historic preservation—that we would be
able to create a book that would fulfill that need.
WHAT ARE PERIOD GARDENS
WHAT DEFINES THEM
LB: A period garden is a garden where the style and materials
coordinate with those of the period of the house or other
significant historical period. The range of what constitutes a
period garden can be as broad or narrowly interpreted as one likes.
It might be a historically accurate restoration of a designed garden for a museum. Or
it could be a homeowner creating a garden with the historical touches that match the era of their
home while still allowing for modern use.
WHICH REGIONS FEATURE WHICH STYLES
LB: The style of a region would follow the architectural style that was predominating during a
period of time when the community was being developed. For example, in Louisville, Kentucky
there are a large number of Victorian homes. A city might have individual neighborhoods representing
Victorian, Arts and Crafts, and Modern; however, it’s unlikely that you would find an
Adobe ranch house anywhere but in the West.
IS CREATING A PERIOD GARDEN A TASK FOR THE NOVICE GARDENER
LB: Anyone can create a period garden. The main thing is to do the background research for the
period you’re interested in, and implement the features and plants from that period which work
for the particular climate and landscape that you like.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PERIOD GARDEN STYLE
LB: I really cannot say I have a single favorite garden period style. I might say it would be
whatever I’m working on currently. Right now I’m working on a small garden in Charleston,
South Carolina for a circa-1850 single house. I’ve been poring over the work of Loutrel Briggs,
a mid-twentieth century Charleston landscape architect, for ideas.
Denise Wiles Adams: I am very attracted to the Arts and Crafts style. During that period the
landscape was connected to the residence with plantings in a simple and harmonious way. Native
plants and local materials were recommended whenever practical. It was not unusual to find a
vegetable garden in the front yard or a luxurious herbaceous border along a fence. Many of the
garden trends of today originate in that period.
DO YOU NEED TO HIRE A LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT TO INSTALL
A PERIOD GARDEN
LB: No. It is more important for a landscape design professional to be knowledgeable about historical
landscape design and familiar with the plants and materials that will work in your landscape. Most
of all, you should look for someone who understands what you want to accomplish.
Determining
Your Garden’s
Style
Adams and Burchfield
recommend using the
following resources to
determine the period
garden style that’s
appropriate for your home.
Wills, Probate Materials,
Letters, and Personal
Papers. Dig into wills and
probate records of early
property owners, which
can clue current
homeowners in on what
the landscape formerly
looked like. Other
revealing paperwork
might be found in
closets or the attic of a
historical home.
Travelers’ Accounts.
Luckily, avid travelers often
keep detailed accounts
of the landscape and
gardens of a region.
Review regional
travel journals for
vivid descriptions.
Maps. Review
neighborhood maps at
the local library or check
out the National Archives
in Washington, DC, which
boasts a collection of
more than 15 million
items including maps,
charts, aerial photos, and
architectural drawings.
Newspapers. Flip
through historical
newspapers for
period information on
gardening; the Boston
Gazette featured seeds in
the first known published
advertisement in 1719.
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