Travel from the country to the city on a fascinating exploration of American cemetery design, from Pennsylvania’s founding in 1681 to today’s embrace of green burial practices.
Led by horticulturist and historian Christopher Sheridan, this immersive tour visits historic burial grounds including Birmingham Friends Meeting and Lafayette Cemetery, Laurel Hill East and West, and Longwood Cemetery. Along the way, discover how landscape design, plants, architecture, monuments, and changing cultural traditions have shaped these beautiful and historic places—and meet some of the notable figures whose stories are woven into them.
Course Schedule
Online Orientation
Thursday, October 29, 7:00–8:00 pm
Tour
Saturday, October 31, 8:30–4:30 pm
Full course content includes both the online and the onsite components.
Instructor
Christopher Barrett Sheridan, The Flower Sommelier, is a horticulturist, floral design instructor, and aspiring historian, specializing in scented plants, heirloom flowers, romantic garden design, and Victorian floral traditions. Chris has been published in American Gardener, regularly offers immersive design workshops at Longwood Gardens, and lectures at national events, including the Philadelphia Flower Show and the International Master Gardener Conference. A Harrison Fellow of the Historic Landscape Institute, he is developing Early American Garden Design programming to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary.
