Category: Landscape Architecture & Design
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Field Notes
The Capitol’s Original Olmsted Trees
In this republished blog, the Architect of the Capitol celebrates the history of tree planting and tree preservation at the U.S. Capitol Grounds by highlighting some of the oldest trees on the grounds.
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Landscape Architecture & Design
The Open Gate: Barbara Walker
The 1903 Olmsted Brothers plan for Portland, OR, was stuffed in a drawer and forgotten until Barbara Walker found it more than sixty years later. Now, the 40 Mile Loop stretches across 140 miles.
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Field Notes
Maplewood Memorial Park Conservancy wins grant for park improvements
Thanks to an AARP Community Challenge Grant, Olmsted Network partner Maplewood Memorial Park in NJ will receive a new walkway and new entryway plantings—updates that will better pedestrian access and bring the park closer to its original designs.
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Landscape Architecture & Design
The Dual Career of Calvert Vaux, Architect and Landscape Architect
Remembered as Olmsted's partner, Calvert Vaux introduced him to the profession of landscape architecture and was responsible for keeping him from abandoning it.
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Landscape Architecture & Design
The Olmsted Legacy in Seattle
How Olmsted Brothers helped make Seattle a beautiful city.
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Field Notes
Biltmore’s Azalea Garden: A Tribute to Chauncey Beadle
The Azalea Garden at Biltmore is home to more than 20,000 plants and is the culmination of an estate superintendent’s passion.
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Olmsted & Friends Interviews
Olmsted and Friends: Meet Parker Andes
In March 2024, Parker Andes retired from Biltmore after 24 years of service. As the Director of Horticulture, Andes managed the estate’s immaculate grounds and championed Olmsted’s original design intent across the property.
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Field Notes
Biltmore: The Birthplace of American Forestry
When George Vanderbilt began planning his grand estate in Asheville, North Carolina, more than a century ago, portions of the lush forest that surround Biltmore House now once was overworked farmland and overcut woodland.
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Parks & Public Spaces
The Past and Present of Downing Park
Downing Park, the last collaboration between Olmsted and Vaux, continues to be a beloved asset in the Newburgh community.
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Field Notes
Chicago to Drain Park’s Vital Wetland
Against the recommendations of the Midway Plaisance Park Advisory Council, Chicago is set to disfigure another Olmsted-designed park.
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Research & Writings
That Artist of Landscape Gardening: Andrew Jackson Downing
Andrew Jackson Downing, a young nurseryman from Newburgh, NY, was America’s leading landscape gardening artist and introduced the nation to the Beautiful and Picturesque.
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Spotlights
A Connecticut Mansion is Lost and Found
In Manchester, Connecticut, Anne W. Cheney’s mansion once stood on a 40-acre landscape designed by Olmsted Brothers. A local landscape architect identifies what remains.
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Field Notes
The Springtime Gift from Japan
Each spring, cherry blossoms are a beloved feature of many Olmsted landscapes.
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Field Notes
Riverside Now Fully Covered as National Historic Landmark
Recognized for its historical and architectural significance, the Village of Riverside, IL, recently received expanded National Historic Landmark boundaries.
![](https://olmsted.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/ASLA-at-125_webinar_screencap-scaled.jpg)
Field Notes
Conversations with Olmsted: ASLA at 125
Experts John King, Torey Carter-Conneen, Kate Orff and Thomas Woltz discuss the past, present and future of landscape architecture.