Explore the rich history of garden design and discover how gardens have evolved across cultures, regions, and centuries. This course provides an engaging overview of garden design from ancient precedents to contemporary landscapes, examining the ideas, influences, and design principles that have shaped gardens around the world.
Over four weeks, explore garden traditions across the Mediterranean, Asia, Europe, England, and the United States. Consider how culture, geography, architecture, water, art, and social traditions have influenced the way gardens are conceived and experienced—from the monumental landscapes of ancient Egypt and the formal gardens of Renaissance Italy to the scholar gardens of China, the diverse traditions of Japanese gardens, the English Landscape Movement, and contemporary American gardens.
Through presentations, discussion, and opportunities for observation and exploration, you’ll develop a broader understanding of the history of garden design and gain inspiration for considering historic ideas in the context of today’s gardens. Students taking the course for credit will also complete a short project that encourages further exploration of a historic garden design concept or element and its relevance to modern design.
Certificate Information
This class counts as an elective toward the Landscape Design Certificate.
Course Schedule
Tuesdays, December 1–22
6:00–8:00 pm
Location
Online
Instructor
Harriet Henderson
Harriet Henderson is a principal of Cushing & Henderson, a landscape architecture firm in Unionville, PA. She received a B.S. in Landscape Architecture from Cornell University, was awarded the William F. Dreer Award for work/study of garden design during two years in Kyoto, Japan, and received a Master of Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania. Her residential and institutional landscape architecture practice emphasizes connections with horticulture and architecture, with design ranging from formal to naturalistic, and Western to Asian. She has taught a History of Gardens course at the Barnes Foundation for over 25 years, and lectured widely on garden design topics at Haverford College, Morris Arboretum, Pennsylvania Horticulture Society, University of Pennsylvania, and other eastern arboreta and colleges.
