April is World Landscape Architecture Month

Among the many designations given to the month of April is World Landscape Architecture Month. This should come with little surprise as many of us start to make our way outdoors this spring to work on our gardens.

Whether for growing food or for pleasure, landscapes and gardening were also important to many Americans before and after the American Revolution. Not least among these was George Washington. Between 1785 and 1787, Washington undertook renovations to the landscape at Mount Vernon. Despite his recent military triumph, Washington looked to the British for landscaping inspiration. The results of which can be seen in any number of prints featuring the Washington estate, such as this one from the DAR Museum collection. In 1798, Polish traveler Julian Niemcewicz remarked that, "After seeing his house and his gardens one would say that he had seen the most beautiful examples in England.” Americans could easily find examples of English gardens in the widely circulated prints of the time, like this one of "Buckingham House."

Portraits also contained images of landscapes as a way to associate oneself with a place or time. Such is the case with this circa 1830 portrait of President Andrew Jackson in the DAR Museum collection. Here, Jackson can be seen sitting in front of a curtain that has been drawn back to reveal the rebuilt Capitol building in Washington, D.C. The original Capitol was burned by the British during the War of 1812. In January of 1815, weeks after a peace treaty was signed, Jackson famously defeated the British Army at the Battle of New Orleans. Here, he associates himself with those events, his recent presidential victory, and the newly finished Capitol.

So, as you start to make your way outdoor, take some time to enjoy the warmth of the season and the beauty of the landscapes around you.