Garden and Landscape Studies
The Garden and Landscape Studies program was established in 1972 to support advanced scholarship in garden history and landscape architecture, encompassing the study of culturally and artistically significant landscapes around the world from ancient times to the present. The program seeks to deepen the understanding of landscape and gardens as a field of knowledge and research and as a practice carried out by landscape architects, landscape artists, and gardeners. The program provides support for research and organizes public programs and scholarly events, publications, and art installations.
Image: Brian Palmer, 2017–2018 Project Grant
Fellowships and Awards
Support comes in many forms through a variety of our programs, tailored to fit the individual needs of senior scholars, midcareer researchers, dissertation writers, graduate students, and advanced undergraduates.
Fellowships
Several fellowship opportunities are available to Garden and Landscape scholars, including Research Fellowships, Mellon Fellowships in Urban Landscape Studies, and Mellon History Teaching Fellowships in Landscape Studies.
Short-Term Opportunities
Several opportunities are available to students and scholars at all levels, ranging from symposia travel awards, 2–4 week predoctoral residencies, one-month research awards, summer fellowships and teaching fellowships in Urban Landscape Studies, and summer workshops in Garden and Landscape Studies and Plant Humanities.
Project Grants
Garden and Landscape grants are intended to support primary research of a specific site. Project grants may be used for a broad array of projects including field research, site analysis, botanical surveys, heritage conservation and restoration planning, with the goal of promoting the preservation and understanding of historic gardens and other significant designed landscapes.
Scholarly Activities
Garden and Landscape Studies offers a range of scholarly programming, including annual symposia and colloquia, public lectures, and workshops. View upcoming and past activities, and watch recordings of selected recent events.
Land Back: Indigenous Landscapes of Resurgence and Freedom
Mellon Initiative in Urban Landscape Studies
Two grants from the Mellon Foundation have supported an interdisciplinary program in urban landscape studies. The second, received in 2019, expands the program to focus on “Democracy and the Urban Landscape: Race, Identity, and Difference.”
Awards and Opportunities
Semester-long fellowships support both research and teaching projects, and provide additional opportunities for field research funding. Graduate and advanced undergraduate students may also apply for funding to attend the annual Garden and Landscape Studies colloquium.
People and Scholarship
Academic events, such as the Mellon Midday Dialogues, create a framework for interactions among the fellows as well as the humanities scholars at Dumbarton Oaks and neighboring academic institution.
Public Outreach
A series of public programs, including lectures, colloquia, workshops, and exhibitions, are aimed at disseminating the initiative’s work nationally and internationally.
Garden Archaeology
Middle East Garden Traditions
Digitized Rare Books
Recent Garden and Landscape Publications
Search all publications, explore series, and learn how to publish with Dumbarton Oaks.
