Gardens and Parks of Historic House Museums

On the importance, and economic survival, of historic houses and their gardens and parks

From royal estates to immigrant kitchen gardens, the case studies presented here speak to the importance of gardens and parks of historic house museums in illuminating the past, navigating the present and preparing for the future. In this premier volume, site managers, owners, gardeners, scholars, and researchers explore landscape conservation and interpretation models that creatively address cultural, social, political and climate change. Situated at the intersection of landscape, art, architecture, heritage and cultural tourism, this book fills a scholarly gap in the critically important areas of authenticity, sustainability and reconciliation. Whether focusing on the grounds of a whimsical Italian villa once home to a famous clown, those of a medieval-inspired castle in Cornwall, or the sculpture garden of an Outsider artist in South Africa, to note a few, the extensive international selection reveals how gardens and parks of house museums—increasingly relevant to diverse audiences with evolving expectations—have become crucial to the educational, cultural and economic success of their sites.