For Shade and for Comfort: Democratizing Horticulture in the Nineteenth-century MidwestPurdue University Press, 2004 - 337 pages Between 1850 and 1880, Americans of all ranks and circumstances planted shade trees, cultivated flower gardens, and established lawns with a new found enthusiasm that both astonished and delighted horticultural advocates. For Shade and For Comfort explores this unprecedented burst of horticultural interest and documents its influence on Midwestern domestic landscapes. Drawing upon a wide range of largely unexplored resources - including lithographic images of farm, village, and city homes; agricultural society records; nursery and seed catalogues; and the diaries and letters of local residents - this innovative study examines how advocates encouraged ornamental plant interest and then considers the significance of trees and flowers for their mid-nineteenth-century promoters and for the people who planted and nurtured them. From these diverse perspectives, ornamental plants emerge as densely layered cultural symbols offering not only a very real touch of shade or beauty, but for many, a sense of security and comfort amidst a rapidly changing American society. With its careful portrayal of actual ornamental plant use, its examination of nineteenth century horticultural advice literature and the nursery and seed trades, and its insightful analysis of the meanings attached to shade trees and flower gardens, For Shade and For Comfort will appeal to rural, cultural, and environmental historians, historians of the Midwest, historic preservationists, and those who simply love horticulture and gardening.
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From inside the book
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... dooryard embellishments signified a pro- gressive outlook and a rational , scientific approach to home and farm man- agement . While domestic reformers articulated important reasons for planting trees or cultivating flowers , an ...
... dooryard , mow the lawn , and plant a tree or two . 31 As they went about their varied tasks , all of these horticultural advo- cates enhanced their cause by imbuing ornamental plants and their cul- ture with social significance . Dooryard ...
... dooryard trees to " shrubs , evergreens and flowers scattered about in profusion . " Sometimes no ornamental plants ... dooryards , but their enthusiasm deserves a judicious ap- praisal . Does other evidence corroborate ornamental plant ...
... dooryards , placing pairs of trees or shrubs symmetrically , using them as borders for roadways or paths , or ... dooryard , but more frequently accentuated only one or two selected specimens . Stones or other bordering materials ...
... dooryard that had " flowers scattered about in profusion . " 35 Al- though far less common than tree plantings , images do portray a variety of garden types and arrangements . Of the families who established gardens , most ( 148 ...
Contents
1 | |
25 | |
Handson Horticulture | 53 |
Commercial Realities Supplying the Needs | 87 |
Commercial Realities Promoting Demand | 115 |
A Neighborly Nudge | 147 |
Bergamot Balm and Verbenas | 179 |
Conclusion | 215 |
APPENDIX A | 223 |
APPENDIX B | 226 |
NOTES | 231 |
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY | 295 |
INDEX | 325 |