Effect on Landscape and Gardening: Downing and Church - Essay Example

?Andrew Jackson Downing and Thomas Dolliver Church, both landscape artists and avid horticulturalists, share both many similarities and many differences. Their work was popular during different time frames; Downing became famous for his works around 1850 and Church after World War II. Geographically, Downing’s work and landscaping was primarily done in the Northeast of the United States, in the area known as New England, while Church worked in the state of California. One might think that the only similarity between the two was their shared love of gardening and landscaping; however, nothing could be further from the truth. Both men shared the opinion that gardens should be for everyone; indeed, the title of Thomas Church’s book, Gardens are for People, seems to say everything about his philosophy on gardens, believing that they are for people to enjoy, not just look at (Tilston). Downing, as well, thought that gardens should be accessible to all, not just the well-to-do members of society, and lobbied hard with politicians to create a space of greenery in New York City, accessible to all (R.). Though working in different time frames and with different areas of the country, both Downing and Church have had a lasting influence on gardens seen by those living in the present-day era, mainly due to their willingness to go against what was considered “conventional” at the time during their work, but also because they believed that gardens, plants, and greenery should be accessible to all, not just the wealthy. Andrew Jackson Downing was born on October 15, 1831, in Newburg, New York. He finished his schooling at the age of 16, and came by his love of landscaping and gardening honestly, as his father ran a nursery in which he worked after finishing school (“Living Places”). Though having no formal schooling on the subject of landscaping or gardens, he undertook to educate himself thoroughly in the subject by exploring the countryside of New York in which he lived, usually in the company of one English landscape painter, Raphael Hoyle. (“Living Places”). Gardens in America, before Downing’s influence, were focused on the country estates of those that had money to spend on such things. Working with tracts of land situated on the Hudson River, those with money to spend immediately bough trade gardening books from merchant-class England, where they were popular (“Gardenvisit.com”). Gardens of the working class, or “those raised between the plow handles” (“Smithsonian Gardens”) were limited to functionality. They were not interested in growing a beautiful plant or flower to look at, but how many vegetables could be grown to feed the usually ever-growing family. Downing had an undeniable and lasting effect on American landscape and gardening with the publishing of his first book, A Treatise on the Theory and Practice of Landscape Gardening, Adapted to North America, published in 1841. The book, the first of its kind to be published in North America, brought immediate fame and recognition as people realized, perhaps for the first time, that they did not have to have large gardens filled with exotic plants; their style could be more of a simple taste. People also realized, as promoted through Downing, that they could use the natural beauty of their surroundings and plants that were native to North America to define their style (“Smithsonian Gardens”). Though Downing was a follower of the English style of gardens, as well as the Greek Revival style of homes, he carefully tailored his book to the needs of North Americans, recognizing several key points (“Smithsonian Gardens”). First and foremost, Downing recognized that the soils of North America were different from that of Europe, and therefore would need plants and flora that grew and prospered in North America, not imports from Europe, along with the belief that Americans were not aristocratic like most of Europe, and therefore should celebrate their republicanism, hence his designs for middle and lower class cottages and gardens (“Smithsonian Gardens”). Also, a love of the natural beauty of the surroundings and setting the home and plans of the landscape to fit that beauty, instead of slavishly working to make the beauty suit the owner, was a founding premise of Downing. In his book A Treatise on the Theory and Practice of Landscape Gardening, Adapted to North America, he states plainly, “In like manner good taste will direct us to embellish scenery expressive of simple or natural beauty, by the addition of forms, whether in trees, buildings, or other objects, harmonious in character, as well as in colour or outline.” (Downing 43). Downing also had such a lasting impression on landscapes and gardening because he realized that America was still, at the time, just coming out of its infancy as a nation and had real room to stretch and grow. He felt that horticulture could be used to help the white settlers attach themselves to their new home (“Smithsonian Gardens”). Downing believed, above all else, that a person’s pride in their country is connected to the pride in their home. He believed that if a person could build and decorate their home to symbolize the values that they hoped to embody, such as prosperity, education, and patriotism, that they would be happier people and better citizens (“Hudson River Valley Library Downloads”). This, in conjunction with his departure from and rejection of the classical styles of the period, made him unique to those that cared about the landscapes surrounding their home (“Hudson River Valley Library Downloads”). If for no other reason, Downing has had a lasting impression on landscapes and gardens because he was the first to recognize the need for this type of profession. Before Downing, landscaping and landscape architecture in North America was virtually unheard of. Again, books were borrowed or purchased from merchant-class England for those that had country estates and wished a pleasant garden or landscape surrounding them. Downing recognized the development of landscape architects and designers as artisans, not artists. (“Smithsonian Gardens”). He realized that there would be a real need for this type of professional to design the gardens of the homes in America, and that they would need to be well-versed and passionate about what they did (Smithsonian Gardens”). Though it cannot be seen today, nowhere was Downing’s departure from mainstream, straight-line gardening more prevalent than in his plans for the National Mall. Commissioned by President Milliard Fillmore to “give a general plan of the improvement to be made” (“Smithsonian Gardens”). Originally designed by Pierre Charles L’Enfant, calling for a straight L-structure that would be known as Grand Avenue, it was designed with the capitalist cities of Europe and the royal estates of English Monarchs (“History of the National Mall and Pennsylvania Avenue National Park”). Downing once again took a departure from this rigid construction ideal in designing four parks, complete with natural scenery to tie them together to their surroundings. For example, one of his parks, Fountain Park, would have featured an artificial lake and fountains that would tie into the landscaping around the U.S. Botanic Gardens (“History of the National Mall and Pennsylvania Avenue National Park”). Other plans called for a Marble Arch, an arch that would have signaled the entrance to Pennsylvania Avenue, as well as park filled with evergreens to give color in the winter (“History of the National Mall and Pennsylvania Avenue National Park”). His main objectives were threefold: to form a national park that would be an ornament to the capital city, provide an example of the natural style of landscape gardening, and form a living museum of trees and shrubs (“History of the National Mall and Pennsylvania Avenue National Park”). Almost a hundred years later, Thomas Dolliver Church, another gardener and horticulturalist, gained lasting influence in his own right for daring to do the same thing: go against what was normally being done at the time. Born in Boston in 1902, but raised in California (“Cultural Landscape Foundation”), Church embraced a modernist view of gardening, a view that exemplified low-maintenance gardening while experimenting with a diverse color palette and focused on a person’s desire to bring the indoors out and extend the living space (“Cultural Landscape Foundation”). Thomas Church had formal schooling in the subject of landscape architecture, both at the University of California-Berkeley and gaining a master’s degree at the Harvard (“Thomas D. Church Collection, 1933-1977”). Church was widely considered a pioneer in modern garden design for over 40 years and the creation of 2,000 gardens, during which he experimented with color, texture, and layout designs while adhering to the needs of site, architecture, and client (“Cultural Landscape Foundation”). Thomas Church’s popularity and lasting influence is derived from the fact that he believed, above all else, that gardens were meant for the people that wanted them to also enjoy them, not just to look at. His book Gardens are for People revolutionized the way that most saw gardens, sowing the seeds of the idea that gardens are outside rooms, and should suit people’s needs, not some preconceived idea of what a garden “should” be (Tilston). Much of the influence for Church’s argument on individualizing gardens came from the time period, as well as the area in which he worked. This was in 1945, just after the war years of World War II. The nation was welcoming home the returning heroes of the war, rushing to provide them with the benefits promised by the GI Bill, including the promised financing for housing (Trieb). The state of California was being built into subdivisions for the returning GI’s, with row upon row of small houses and lawns identically shaping streets, mostly made famous by builder William Levitt (Trieb). Thomas Dolliver Church scorned the identicalness of the neighborhoods. Going against the “sameness” built by Levitt and his followers, he advocated that gardens were outside rooms, rooms that could and should be made to serve the needs of the people that lived in the house and not some preconceived idea of what a garden “should” be (Tilston). Going against the ideas of Levitt that were taking off into popularity, and shunning the idea that row upon row of identical houses and yards were beautiful, Church in his book Gardens are for People advocated that gardens and landscaping should be for the people and could provide happiness in a way that houses could not, saying that “The direction in which to move will be determined by the desires of the people who expect to find happiness in their gardens.” (Tilston). In keeping with his ties to modern gardening, Church guarded against anything that was too fancy or complex. He saw that in an overcrowded world, a garden becomes a haven (Tilston). He also guarded against perfectionism. He cautioned, “Don’t fret if your garden is never quite perfect. Absolute perfection, like complete consistency, can be dull.” (Trieb). Moreover, Church is credited with changing the relationship between architect and landscaper. Coming into his own practice of landscaping at a time when landscape specialists were regarded as little more than glorified gardeners, Church dared to talk back to the architects and set a new dialogue with architects and landscapers acting as partners (Hardie). He recalled once, “If you were to arrive on the job and say, ‘I think that the driveway is in the wrong spot’, you could get fired, right then.” According to former editor Walter Doty, “Church represented freedom from ‘decorating’ a house. Landscaping meant gussying up structures that just weren’t worth it. Tommy was a ‘behavioral’ landscaper… gardens to live in were more important.” (Hardie) Thomas Church did not hesitate to roll up his sleeves and do the work of his landscaping and gardening himself, creating a lasting influence on one of the most well-known college campuses of today: Stanford University. Church was a dedicated gardener often seen at Stanford University between the late 1940’s to the early 1970’s, sporting an old tan corduroy jacket that had shears poking out of the pockets. He was always seen wearing a hat that screamed “practicality” and high-laced boots that were covered in dust and scratched by tree roots (Hardie). Though some of his work has been destroyed by waves of construction projects, Church left a lasting legacy at the campus by creating a meeting place on a very human level, again by his willingness to go against what was seen as conventional and design something that would be enjoyable for all. The original plans of Stanford call for what was known as “Olmstead’s strong axial arrangement”, keeping in tune with the original master plan of 1888, which called for three quads east and three quads west of the main quad (Hardie). However, this plan had not been followed in some time, and had been all but abandoned by the 1960s, in favor of a more individual plan of buildings facing the streets (Hardie). Church’s work at Stanford, while considered “remedial” as much of the landscaping had already been done, was to tie things together and make the campus inviting in the postwar years when not only did California have to scramble to build houses for the returning soldiers, Stanford had to scramble to find buildings to educate them in (Hardie). Nevertheless, he did so, mostly by abandoning the straight-line plan of Olmstead and creating inviting pocket gardens, as well as his most lasting creations of White Claw and Kennedy Grove, two informal, wooded areas where students often go for lunch or to listen to music and other informal affairs on the campus today (Hardie). Both Downing and Church believed that gardens should be accessible to all people, not just those that had money. For Downing, this meant pleading, plans, and proposals for a space of green in New York City. In the 1800’s in New York City, though the city was still small, it was overcrowded and unhealthy (R.). Downing, along with his partners, drew up plans and proposals for a park, a space of greenery that would be accessible to all citizens, not just those that had money enough for a Sunday stroll, though it would allow the upper class a rural place to go and be comfortable as well as a rural place for the poor (R.). It would feature such things as gardens, zoos, concert halls, galleries, a science museum, a horticultural museum and a free dairy (R.). However, due to Downing’s untimely death at the age of 37 in a steamboat accident, he was never able to see his dearest wish come true (R.). Thomas Church, though he did not face the same challenges as Downing in providing to the urban poor, was still known to want to work with everyone, not just those that wanted a large, fancy garden with layer upon layer of terraces and other exotic plants flown from halfway around the world. He was known to work with those of modest income, using his knowledge and resources to help them maximize limited space and income (Trieb). Alongside his philosophy that gardens should be to live in, not just look at, Church advocated the “do-it-yourself” nature that came after World War II, remembering that the amount and range of growing materials were reduced, concrete strips made grass cutting easier, and planting beds were raised (Trieb). Above all else, Church helped those with modest income not only take full advantage of what their space had to offer, but also to avoid costly mistakes (Trieb). Gardening and landscaping are, by their very nature, meant to change over time. The same is true with Andrew Jackson Downing and Thomas Church; very little of their original design can be seen today. However, in choosing to go against what was considered conventional during their time frames, they opened doors to lasting influences and future generations of landscapers, gardeners, and horticulturalists in the United States. Their work lives on through others. Works Cited "About Andrew Jackson Downing." Smithsonian Gardens. The Smithsonian Institute, n.d. Web. 30 Apr 2011. . "Andrew Jackson Downing (1815-1852)." Living Places. The Gombach Group, n.d. Web. 29 Apr 2011. . "Andrew Jackson Downing: Father of American Parks." The Hudson River Valley Library Downloads. The Hudson River Valley Library, n.d. Web. 29 Apr 2011. . "Biography." Thomas D. Church Collection, 1933-1977 1997.1 n. pag. Online Archive of California. Web. 29 Apr 2011. . Downing, Andrew J. A Treatise on the Theory and Practice of Landscape Gardening, Adapted to North America. Fifth Edition. New York: G.M. Saxton and Company, 1856. 39. eBook. "Garden Design in the Northeastern States of America." Gardenvisit.com. N.p., 2008. Web. 30 Apr 2011. . Hardie, Raymond. "He Changed the Landscape." Stanford Magazine Jan/Feb 2006: n. pag. Web. 29 Apr 2011. . "Pioneer Facts: Thomas Dolliver Church." The Cultural Landscape Foundation. The Cultural Landscape Foundation, 2009. Web. 29 Apr 2011. . R., Anne. "Andrew Jackson Downing." Perry's Perennial Pages –Famous Horticultural Persons; Serving the Great State of Vermont. Dr. Leonard Perry, n.d. Web. 29 Apr 2011. . Tilston, Carolyn. "Why 'Gardens are for People'?." Gardens Are For People. Blogspot, 21 Feb 2011. Web. 29 Apr 2011. . Trieb, Mark. United States. Thomas Church, Garrett Eckbo, and the Postwar California Garden. ParkNet, 2002. Web. 29 Apr 2011. . United States. History of the National Mall and Pennsylvania Avenue National Historic Park. , 2006. Web. 30 Apr 2011. . Read More