A Garden History & Design Minute from the Archives of American Gardens (AAG)

There are thousands of documented garden designs in the Garden Club of America Collection at the Archives of American Gardens. If you are looking for some garden inspiration, make sure to see what the collection has to offer. Perhaps your green thumb may pick up a new feature to add to your garden—one that is both decorative and utilitarian like an exedra.

Exedra

Taken from Greek architecture, this garden structure’s name translates into “exterior seat.” Exedrae were originally used in ancient Greece for places of worship. Later, Plato and Socrates used such structures, often bordered with columns and topped with a semi-dome, for philosophical discussions. The exedra’s semi-circular border, to which a bench was typically attached, provided an intimate space for conversation or solitude. Exedrae remained popular in Roman landscapes and can be found in both Baroque and Neoclassical architecture.

Casa del Herrero, Montecito, CA. Russ Marchand, photog. Nuages, Glenside, PA. Diane Drinker, photographer. 1985. May 2004.

Exedrae found their way into English gardens by the 18th century. Their curved screening walls are often utilized to hide another part of the garden or to create a separate garden alcove. In addition to seating, exedrae may incorporate fountains, tile flooring, columns and lighting along their semi-circular shape. Ornate or sim- ple, they can serve as a place for quiet contemplation or a small tea party for two.

Whether or not you decide to add a new feature to your garden, please consider documenting it for the Garden Club of America Collection. Every garden is part of our garden heritage!

All images are from the Garden Club of America Collection at the Archives of American Gardens.

By Savannah Gignac, AAG/GCA Garden History & Design Intern. August 2011.