Explore the history of the Camelia collection at Descanso Gardens
How to manage a historic plant collection in the face of many environmental challenges
Discover new ways of telling difficult histories of a beloved cultural institution
Study the importance of master planning and plant collection policies to help guide curatorial decisions and preservation goals
About this course:
Descanso Gardens is a botanical garden located in La Canada Flintridge in Los Angeles County. In 1942, Descanso founder E. Manchester Boddy purchased the nursery stock of at least three Japanese-owned nurseries. Two grower families, the Yoshimuras and Uyematsus, sold their life’s work prior to their incarceration by the United States government during the Second World War. These plants, including rare and unique cultivars, became the basis of the camellia collection. Today, Descanso Gardens’ staff must juggle the importance of preserving this historic collection with the realities of changing environmental conditions. Join this lecture to learn more about how Descanso Gardens changed its maintenance and curation practices, as well as how Descanso’s interpretation and programming have shifted to center the stories of the Japanese-American nurserymen who made Descanso Gardens’ camellia collection possible.
We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience, including personalizing content and to store your content preferences. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies.
Read our privacy policy.
