About Colonial Landscapes

History

• Colonial landscapes dominated the country from 1600 until 1840, despite the fact that the colonial period officially ended in 1775. Settlers came to this country and replicated the gardens they left behind in Europe. Consequently, colonial landscapes were as diverse as the people who created them. Landscape designs reflected each settler's country of origin. Many of the plants used were obtained from Europe and included fruit trees, vegetables, herbs and flowering bulbs. Native trees, vegetables, flowering shrubs and vines also assumed a presence in the colonial landscape.

Definition

• Unlike colonial architecture, with its definitive set of architectural elements, colonial landscapes are a bit more difficult to define. The individual garden designs differed and were influenced by the needs and lifestyles of the colonists. Factors such as occupation and income level frequently dictated garden form and function. Generally, three basic types of colonial landscapes existed--rural landscapes, town landscapes and wealthy landowner landscapes. All three possessed common elements despite their differences.

Rural Colonial Landscapes

• The primary consideration in rural colonial landscape design was function. Family size dictated the size of the garden, which consisted of raised planting beds surrounded by fences. Vegetables and herbs were planted near the house and various outbuildings. Occasionally, native wildflowers were planted among the herbs and vegetables, not for aesthetic purposes, but to serve as sources of food, fragrance and medicine. Vegetables that were required in large quantities were planted in fields away from the house. Paths consisting of gravel, crushed shells or compacted soil connected the house, outbuildings and gardens.

Town Colonial Landscapes

• The colonial landscapes found in towns were more reminiscent of those found in Europe. They were more formal in style and symmetrical in form than their rural counterparts. Space was limited with most lots measuring only 40 to 50 feet in width. The shapes of the raised beds containing shrubs, herbs, fruits and vegetables were determined by the layout of the walkways within the garden. Many of the landscapes had a wide central walkway that terminated at a focal point such as a well, topiary, statue, arbor or sundial. Hedges or picket fences surrounded the gardens to protect the vegetation from animals and harsh winds.

Wealthy Landowner Landscapes

• Wealthy landowners possessed the space and resources to create formal, aesthetically appealing gardens near the residence. Elaborate boxwood parterres--planted areas surrounded by tightly clipped hedges--formed various patterns and designed to please spectators on the ground as well as those viewing the landscape from the home's balconies above. Hollyhocks, peonies, primroses, heliotrope and larkspur represent some of the commonly used plants. Expansive lawns and groves of trees also graced the landscapes of colonial aristocrats. Practical gardens consisting of vegetables and herbs were away from the house.