Northeast Florida has long been the undiscovered gem of the state. Dubbed the “first coast,” it is home to a myriad of historical sites, towering pines and grand southern live oaks that create a landscape more akin to the Deep South than tropical South Florida. This “Old Florida” ambiance, coupled with a growing economy and a desirable climate, has resulted in a building boom that makes Duval and St. Johns counties the 13th and 14th fastest-growing in the country.
Read MoreIn addition to the normal site inventory landscape architects perform, there must be a specific methodology for those using ethnobotany as a layer in their design. Using ethnobotany to design a landscape requires a specific process for site inventory and analysis that goes further than climate, hydrology, soils, plant life, and wild life. There should also be an inventory of non-landscape site inventory which includes cultural features, written resources, library holdings, and museum exhibits.
Read MoreLandscape architects are often involved in designing and programming botanical gardens and arboretums. But how many have designed, or even heard of, an ethnobotanical garden? Forgoing the minutia often attached to the definition, ethnobotany is simply the study of the interaction of plants and people within a certain context, generally within a certain place in history and time.
Read Morethnobotany can be used in two ways when designing a landscape. First and foremost, it can be used to create a public ethnobotanical garden. Jones and Hoversten (2004) have identified 5 attributes to creating a successful ethnobotanical garden.
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