Description
Book SynopsisIn 1789, Jedidiah Morse described Newport and its environs as the “Eden of America” in the First Geography of the United States. In the nineteenth century landscape architects such as Frederick Law Olmsted created dramatic gardens by the sea for his wealthy clients, and artists from John Frederick Kensett to Henry James and Thornton Wilder celebrated the city as a verdant paradise in painting, poetry, and prose. America’s Eden: Newport Landscapes through the Ages builds on the city’s iconic reputation as a centuries-old paradise, and establishes Newport as a cultural landscape of national significance. The comprehensive history from European settlement to the present day is illustrated by a treasure trove of rare period maps, paintings and photographs by prominent artists, and drawings and sketches by leading designers. Ten chapters discuss topography, geology, and climate; the history of the city from the early days of colonial New England, through the Gilded Age estates, to the 21st century. A chapter on Living Legends emphasises the importance of Newport’s historic trees. The book serves as a critical resource guide encompassing landscape architecture, fine art, tree and plant propagation, and the conservation of natural sites. A rich story of art, history, design and horticulture awaits readers among the gardens, gazebos and trees of Newport.
Table of ContentsForeword; Acknowledgments; A Note from the Author; Introduction: America’s Eden; A Land Blessed and Cursed: Topography, Geology, and Climate; From Eden to Eternity: An Historical Overview; Paradise of New England: The Colonial Era and Early Republic; Case Study Seeing, or Recording the Land: Changing Perspectives on Mapping Newport; Genteel Landscapes: Romantic Villas and Rustic Views; Case Study The Horticulturists; Case Study Touro Park; The Art of Scenery: Design in the Age of the Picturesque; The Gilded Age: Estate Gardens and Urban Forests; Case Study Blooming Beauty; Floral Culture and Fashion during the Gilded Age; Working Landscapes: Gardeners and Greenhouses; The Age of the New: Modernism in the Landscape; Living Legend: Newport’s Historic Trees; Case Study The Sentinels of Eden; An Arborist’s View of Newport and Its Trees; Eden Preserved and Propagated; Conclusion: The Legacy and Future of Eden; Notes; Bibliography; Index; Picture Credits.
