How Thomas Church and Andrew Jackson Downing were from two different Essay

How Thomas Church and Andrew Jackson Downing were from two different eras but both were influential in establishing the pattern - Essay Example Both men shared the opinion that gardens should be for everyone; indeed, the title of Thomas Church’s book, Gardens are for People, seems to say everything about his philosophy on gardens, believing that they are for people to enjoy, not just look at (Tilston). Downing, as well, thought that gardens should be accessible to all, not just the well-to-do members of society, and lobbied hard with politicians to create a space of greenery in New York City, accessible to all (R.). Though working in different time frames and with different areas of the country, both Downing and Church have had a lasting influence on gardens seen by those living in the present-day era, mainly due to their willingness to go against what was considered â€Å"conventional† at the time during their work, but also because they believed that gardens, plants, and greenery should be accessible to all, not just the wealthy. Andrew Jackson Downing was born on October 15, 1831, in Newburg, New York. He fi nished his schooling at the age of 16, and came by his love of landscaping and gardening honestly, as his father ran a nursery in which he worked after finishing school (â€Å"Living Places†). ... udson River, those with money to spend immediately bough trade gardening books from merchant-class England, where they were popular (â€Å"Gardenvisit.com†). Gardens of the working class, or â€Å"those raised between the plow handles† (â€Å"Smithsonian Gardens†) were limited to functionality. They were not interested in growing a beautiful plant or flower to look at, but how many vegetables could be grown to feed the usually ever-growing family. Downing had an undeniable and lasting effect on American landscape and gardening with the publishing of his first book, A Treatise on the Theory and Practice of Landscape Gardening, Adapted to North America, published in 1841. The book, the first of its kind to be published in North America, brought immediate fame and recognition as people realized, perhaps for the first time, that they did not have to have large gardens filled with exotic plants; their style could be more of a simple taste. People also realized, as pro moted through Downing, that they could use the natural beauty of their surroundings and plants that were native to North America to define their style (â€Å"Smithsonian Gardens†). Though Downing was a follower of the English style of gardens, as well as the Greek Revival style of homes, he carefully tailored his book to the needs of North Americans, recognizing several key points (â€Å"Smithsonian Gardens†). First and foremost, Downing recognized that the soils of North America were different from that of Europe, and therefore would need plants and flora that grew and prospered in North America, not imports from Europe, along with the belief that Americans were not aristocratic like most of Europe, and therefore should celebrate their republicanism, hence his designs for middle and lower class cottages and gardens