A Sense of Place in a Landscape Garden
Discovery Center
Bok Tower Gardens was begun over a hundred years ago in 1922 as a vision by Edward Bok and designed by landscape architect Fredric Law Olmsted Jr. to create a landscape of a meditative garden and nature sanctuary. Using mainly native plants, Olmsted created a sense of place by incorporating an existing sandhill habitat. Over time, the plantings evolved from sunny to shade gardens, and the sandhill became overgrown. Changing growing conditions required an ever-adapting plant palette that tended to non-native plants. Today, the Gardens is embarking on a program to refocus on native plants in the landscape and to restore the sandhill. Working with a landscape preservationist, we are documenting the historic gardens’ design intent, character, evolution, and how best to preserve the Olmsted landscape design. New plantings have used a simplicity of design and selection of appropriate plants creating gentle landscapes that have a calming effect. Price will share about the work undertaken to create a sense of place.