Ravine Garden Preservation study : a 19th century garden for the future

Abstract

In the State of Indiana there are many historic landscapes unrecognized and in a state of decline. One type of historic landscape showing such decline is the Country Place Era estate with less than 12 percent of America's Country Place Era estates remaining today. Since the 1970's, almost all historic designed landscapes treated by historic landscape architects have been rehabilitation projects. The Ravine Garden is a component of a historic designed Country Place landscape and was designed by a master designer.This project is a feasibility study of a model cross section of a one acre hillside garden. This Ravine Garden was designed by Percival Gallagher of the Olmsted Brothers in a wild garden style. Gallagher's intent was to try to recreate the feeling of a New England Mountain scene. Since the implementation; time, lack of maintenance, and successional change have altered the look the garden. This is the only premier designed landscape in the State of Indiana that offers the chance to preserve while still meeting the needs of the owners.