The historical cultural plant geography of urbanized Galveston : implications of gardening on a sub-tropical barrier island /
The study documented the historical cultural urban plant geography of residential planted landscapes on Galveston Island. Historical gardenscapes were recreated to compare to modern gardens surveyed in the city. Galveston is a sub-tropical barrier island lying adjacent to the upper Texas Gulf Coast....
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| Other Authors: | , , , |
| Format: | Thesis Book |
| Language: | English |
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1990.
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| Online Access: | Link to OAKTrust copy |
| Summary: | The study documented the historical cultural urban plant geography of residential planted landscapes on Galveston Island. Historical gardenscapes were recreated to compare to modern gardens surveyed in the city. Galveston is a sub-tropical barrier island lying adjacent to the upper Texas Gulf Coast. Since 1837, residents have expanded residential garden and public planted areas in spite of hurricanes and epidemics. Late in the 19th century Galveston was a cosmopolitan port which allowed families to accumulate wealth and import exotic plants. Affluent Galvestonians built splendid period homes and created tropical-theme gardens. In the 1890s Galveston was a cultural center for Texas with world-wide influences. The high profile city was nearly leveled by the 1900 hurricane. Thousands of people lost their lives and the urban landscape was laid to waste. Following the disaster, citizens banded together to build a seawall and to raise the island grade. One of the city's first priorities was to restore the planted landscapes. An investigation revealed variation in modern gardens in city sectors which developed at different times, although there were plants which tied residential plantscapes together. These denotative plants included Nerium oleander. Ouercus virginiana. and Washinqtonia palms, while neighborhood assemblages separated gardens into distinct types. Garden plant density was greatest in protected areas of the island. Modern residential gardens display garden-styles reflecting historical themes and plant palettes as well as newer variations of garden-styles incorporating more species. Four classes of residential garden-styles and four landscape management schemes were developed for comparison to previously reported classifications. The garden-style classes were designated Galveston historic, Galveston vernacular, Galveston traditional, and Galveston basic. The landscape management schemes were defined as high style, innovative, popular, and lawn gardens. Galveston garden classes were similar in kind to Kimber's (1973) system but were more varied than Kent's (1987) classes. Residential gardens are a basic unit of urban plantscapes. When gardens are combined with public gardens and built structures the urban landscape emerges. Over the past one hundred fifty years Galveston citizens have created an important component in the evolving American landscape. |
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| Item Description: | Typescript (photocopy). Vita. "Major subject: Geography." |
| Physical Description: | 2 volumes : illustrations, maps ; 29 cm |
| Bibliography: | Includes bibliographical references. |