HISTORICAL NOTES 



By DOWNING VAUX 

 (Meeting of November 13, 1906) 



OUR work is so engrossing, and the problems we have to solve so intimately related 

 to the present, that I almost hesitate before asking you to turn over a few of 

 the musty and forgotten pages of the past with me, and note the similarity to 

 the present, as well as the changes. 



To go way back and begin at the beginning, we find Adam and Eve in the Garden 

 of Eden. Do we wonder then that ever since they were evicted their descendents have 

 longed to get back again into their Garden? Can we do less than to help them to achieve 

 this dream? The next earliest gardens I can find any reference to among the dusty 

 tomes, "The Hanging Gardens of Babylon," were terraced and no doubt very beautiful 

 to the ancients. The Greek and Roman gardens were enclosed, and formed almost 

 part of the buildings themselves. The details of the ancient gardens I will not go 

 into at this time, as they are, no doubt, more interesting from an archaeological point 

 of view. 



In the Middle Ages men were so busy fighting that little was done outside of the 

 walls of cities and castles in the way of gardens. The eighteenth century inaugurated 

 a time when men began to think of other things besides war; the term Landscape Gardener 

 was coined, and the work began to be done in a business-like manner. 



The principal works at this time were large estates for the nobility, no thought being 

 given to public parks or pleasure-grounds for the people. 



In 1795 H. Repton published, in England, "Hints on Landscape Gardening," and 

 this work was followed by others until, at the present time, there are nearly one hundred 

 books on the subject. Early in the nineteenth century, Major L'Enfant planned the 

 city of Washington; and although it was hardly understood at the time, and many years 

 elapsed before it was appreciated, we can but rejoice that the plan was adhered to and 

 not abandoned. 



A. J. Downing, who might be fairly called the Father of Landscape Gardening in 

 America, did more to raise popular interest in the subject than anyone else. You all know 

 about him from his books, but you may not remember that he planned the row of houses 

 still standing on West 23rd Street, New York City, which are set back from the street 

 line, with gardens in front. 



Mr. Downing was much interested in the proposed Central Park and, meeting and 

 liking my father, Calvert Vaux, while in England, prevailed on him to come to America. 

 They were associated together for several years, until Mr. Downing died. 



When the drawing of the plan of Central Park to go in the competition was being 

 made at my father's house in i8th Street, in conjunction with Mr. Frederick Law Olmsted, 

 there was a great deal of grass to be put in by the usual small dots and dashes, and it 

 became the friendly thing for friendly callers to help on the work by joining in and "adding 

 some grass to Central Park." 



That was the day before tracing-cloth, and drawings were made on white paper. 

 If copies were wanted they were made on a very aromatic and brittle tracing-paper that 



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