2019 Garden Docent Training Material
Available below are the agendas, attendant readings, and handouts for the 2019 mansion docent training. The readings and handouts are organized by class topic and date. The list begins with the first class in the program.
How to use the Reading List
Please read all required readings, as they are mandatory. All required readings are made available on this page, as well as hard copies distributed during class.
The secondary sources are seen as providing more in-depth study of particular subjects or general context. As such, you may think of them as a reading list for your continued education after the docent training is completed. The secondary sources are made available on this page (for articles or sections) or on the shelves in Hillwood’s library (for whole books).
Also available for all volunteers are the recorded content lectures. These can also be found in the 2019 Lecture Videos in the Lecture Videos tab above and under the specific session below.
January 7, 2019 Intro to Docent Training Program
January 14, 2019 A Garden for All Seasons and Museum Visitors
January 14, 2019: A Garden for All Seasons by Kate Markert lecture video
*From approximately 36:30 to 39:30, Kate steps away from the podium to point out details in the images. The audio during this time is lower than the rest of the video.
A Garden for All Seasons Required Readings
Brown, Stephanie. Garden Lecture for Docents.
Cochran, Betty. “Consultant Outlines Five-Year Plan to Update Hillwood’s Gardens.“
Griswold, Mac, & Eleanor Weller. “Introduction.“
Sonnier, John. Selections from Initial Report on the History of the Gardens at the Hillwood Museum and Gardens.
Stauffer, Gwen. The History of the Gardens at Hillwood, Washington, DC (A Brief Elucidation).
Wilson, Richard. “Picturesque Ambiguities: The Country House Tradition in America.“
A Garden for All Seasons Secondary Readings
Boults, Elizabeth & Chip Sullivan. “Extremes of Wealth and Poverty.“
Museum Visitors Required Readings
Falk, John. “Calling All Spiritual Pilgrims.“
“Five Key Types of Museum Visitors.“
Perry, Deborah. “The Anatomy of a Museum Visit.”
Rand, Judi. “The Visitor’s Bill of Rights.“
Korn, Randi. “Summary Notes of Randi Korn’s Audience Research.“
January 22, 2019 Marjorie Merriweather Post's Biography and Museum Visitors
January 22, 2019: Marjorie Merriweather Post’s Biography by Estella Chung lecture video
Marjorie Merriweather Post’s Biography Required Reading
Brown, Stephanie. Marjorie Merriweather Post: A Timeline, 1887-1973.
January 28, 2019 Living Artfully: At Home with Marjorie Merriweather Post
January 28, 2019: Living Artfully: At Home with Marjorie Merriweather Post by Estella Chung lecture video
Living Artfully: At Home with Marjorie Merriweather Post Required Reading
Fisher, Frederick. “Hillwood: An Art Collector’s Personal Museum.“
Garden Sections from 2015’s Printed Tour Booklet.
Post, Marjorie. “Notes on Organization.“
Selections of primary source documents about Marjorie Post
Living Artfully: At Home with Marjorie Merriweather Post Secondary Reading
Fisher, Frederick. “The Lasting Legacy of Marjorie Merriweather Post.“
Fisher, Frederick. “Marjorie Merriweather Post: Collector with a Passion for Beauty.“
February 4, 2019 Object-based Learning, Critical Thinking, and Inquiry
Object-based Learning, Critical Thinking, and Iquiry Required Reading
Gartenhaus, Alan. “Teaching with Questions.“
March, Caryl. “Opening the Way for Questions.“
Shuh, John. “Teaching Yourself to Teach with Objects.“
February 11, 2019 Motor Court & French Parterre & Interpretive Frameworks
February 11, 2019: Motor Court & French Parterre by Jessica Bonilla lecture video
Motor Court & French Parterre Required Readings
Kelly, Ann Stevens. “Boxwood (Buxus)“.
Plumptre, George. “Gardens and History: From Ancient Egypt to Modern America.“
Restoration Assessment of the French Garden at Hillwood Museum.
“Restoration in the French Parterre: Retired Garden Audio Tour Stop.“
Van Zuylen, Gabrielle. “Chapter IV: Formality Triumphant: The Classic French Garden.“
Motor Court & French Parterre Secondary Readings
Boults, Elizabeth and Chip Sullivan. Selections from Illustrated History of Landscape Garden Design.
Rodgers, Elizabeth. “IV. Currents of Fashion: The Transformation of the Italian Garden in France.“
Rodgers, Elizabeth. “French Garden Style” and “Power and Glory.”
Interpretive Frameworks Required Readings
Carson, Barbara. “Interpreting History through Objects.“
Fiedman, Renee. “For the Curator: Of Trees and Teacups: The Landscape as Artifact.”
Honig, Marÿke. “What is Interpretation?“
Miner, Susan. “An Object Lesson.“
February 19, 2019 Vista Terrace & Japanese-style Garden
February 19, 2019: Vista Terrace & Japanese-style Garden by Frances Vandenbroucke lecture video
Handouts:
The Vista Terrace & The Japanese-style Garden by Frances Vandenbroucke
Anatomy of a Waterfall by Frances Vandenbroucke
Images of the Japanese-style Garden
Inquiry Activity with the Japanese-style Garden: Audra Kelly’s Questions
Using an Interpretive Framework for Garden Tours: “Design-Features-Marjorie Post”
Garden Object-based Learning Model: Using Visual Evidence to “Read” A Garden Object, or Feature
Images of French Parterre and Motor Court for Homework Assignment
Vista Terrace & Japanese-style Garden Required Reading
Brown, Kendall. “Territories of Play.“
“Hillwood Museum & Gardens Breaks Ground on Major $2 million Japanese-style Garden Restoration.”
“Self-Guided Tour: Hillwood in Focus, Japanese-style Garden.“
Whiting, Brooke. “Sections II-IX.” The Japanese Style Garden at Hillwood.
Vista Terrace & Japanese-style Garden Secondary Reading
Conder, Josiah. Selections from Landscape Gardening in Japan.
Streatfield, David C. “The Influence of Japan upon Gardens in California and the Pacific Northwest.”
Takei, Jirō, and Marc P. Keane. Selections from Sakuteiki: Visions of the Japanese Garden, A Modern Translation of Japan’s Gardening Classic.
February 25, 2019 Friendship Walk, Putting Green, Lunar Lawn, and Rose Garden
March 2, 2015: Rose Garden, Friendship Walk, Putting Green, and Lunar Lawn by Jessica Bonilla and Marshall Paquin lecture video
*Due to technical difficulties, we were unable to record the 2019 lecture. This lecture is from the 2015 garden docent training program. The password to access the video is volunteer.
Handouts:
Stylistic Development and Cultural Context: Gardens
Rose Garden, Friendship Walk, Putting Green, and Lunar Lawn by Jessica Bonilla and Marshall Paquin
Friendship Walk, Putting Green, Lunar Lawn, and Rose Garden Required Reading
Galle, Fred. “Azaleas: PLants, Habits, Flowers, and Leaves.“
Friendship Walk, Putting Green, Lunar Lawn, and Rose Garden Secondary Reading
Holden, Linda Jane. “Rose Garden, White House.“
Seale, William. “President Kennedy’s Garden: Rachel Lambert Mellon’s Redesign of the White House Rose Garden.”
March 4, 2019 Five-Minute Object Lesson Development
Handouts:
Communication Skills for Docents
Written Lesson Plan for a Five Minute Object Lesson Example (Diana by Audra Kelly)
Guidelines for Developing a Five Minute Object Lesson
Written Lesson Plan for a Five Minute Object Lesson Template (PDF)
Written Lesson Plan for a Five Minute Object Lesson Template (Word doc)
Learning With and From Each Other and Yourself
Five Minute Object Lesson: Self-Assessment Worksheet Example
Directions to Mansion Volunteer Lounge
Five-Minute Object Lesson Required Reading
Gartenhaus, Alan. “Hey, What’s the Big Idea?“
March 25, 2019 Cutting Garden and Greenhouse
March 25, 2019: Cutting Garden and Drew Asbury and Ami Wilber lecture video
Handouts:
Cutting Garden, Orchids, and Floral Design at Hillwood by Drew Asbury and Ami Wilber
Cutting Garden, Greenhouse, Orchids, & Floral Design Required Reading
“Cutting Garden Plant List: Annuals and Perennials.“
Kelly, Ann Stevens. “Garden Profile: Hillwood’s Cutting Garden.“
Cutting Garden, Greenhouse, Orchids, & Floral Design Secondary Reading
American Orchid Society. Fact Sheets: FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions about Orchids). Orchid Care Sheets: Cattleya; Cymbidium; Dendrobium; Paphiopedilum; Phalaenopsis.
Benzakein, Erin, with Julie Chai. “Caring for Cut Flowers.”
Chezar, Ariella, with Julie Michaels. “Selections from The Flower Workshop, Lessons in Arranging Blooms, Branches, Fruits, and Foraged Materials.“
April 1, 2019 Room Demonstration Development
Handouts:
“Design-Features-Marjorie Post” Framework
Written Lesson Plan for a Ten-Minute Room Demonstration Example (rose garden by Audra Kelly)
Written Lesson Plan for a Ten-Minute Room Demonstration Template (PDF)
Written Lesson Plan for a Ten-Minute Room Demonstration (Word)
Guidelines for Developing a Ten-Minute Room Demonstration
Ten-Minute Room Demonstration Process
Ten-Minute Room Demonstration: Self-Assessment Worksheet Example
Brainstorming for the Ten-Minute Room Demonstration
Ten-Minute Room Demonstrations, Mentor Garden Tours, and Room Walks Scheduling
Room Demonstration Development Required Reading
April 22, 2019 Qualifying Tour Development
Qualifying Tour Development Required Reading
Gartenhaus, Alan. “Crafting a Tour.“
April 29, 2019 Tour Logistics
Tour Logistics Required Reading
Volunteer Handbook (March 2019)
Volunteer Handbook: Operational Supplement (January 2019)
Garden Docent Guidelines, Resources, and Frequently Asked Questions
Visitor Guidelines and Information