The art of gardening in America : a discussion of American gardens past and present and the factors which influence their character

Abstract

Text from page 1: The art of gardening in America is largely the result of proper adaptation of distinctive styles originating in other countries which afford individually, the great variety of climate soil and contour found in the separate sections of the United States. To understand the art of gardening let us first ask, 'What is a garden?' The etymology of the word shows its meaning to be an enclosed space. It is in this connection that one usually thinks of the term, perhaps a picket-enclosed area containing only vegetables, the strictly utilitarian one. But garden, as the term is to be used will include all the area about the house which is developed to form a setting for the house. This may be only a few feet or many acres and within may be several gardens, using the narrower sense of the term, that is, there may be a rock garden, a water garden, and others; these too, will be treated.