2024 Garden Docent Training

Available below are the agendas, attendant readings, videos, and handouts for the 2024 garden docent training program. The content is organized by class topic. The list begins with the first class in the program.  

How to use the Reading List

  • All required readings that are articles and sections of books are made available online via this page. 
  • Titles that are bolded were distributed to the docents-in-training in November 2023 prior to the training’s start.
  • To access the readings for each class, click on the desired class topics to expand the page for a complete list of required reading. Click on the hyperlinks to access the videos, articles, or websites. 
  • Helpful tip: Hillwood publications often list an accession number, which is a unique identifying number, for objects in the collection. For instance, in The Houses and Collections of Marjorie Merriweather Post:The Joy of It, the accession number can be located in the section that details the artist/maker, location, dates, materials, and credit line for each object (at the top of each entry). Using the accession number is the best way to search for the object on Hillwood’s collection database. Note: accession numbers are most useful for looking up mansion objects; some of the outdoor sculptures are also on the database, but defer to the Comprehensive Garden Notes and the Garden Sculpture lecture, rather than the online database, for the most up-to-date information pertaining to the sculptures.

Further Study

There are additional readings over-and-above those found on this required reading list; these are materials that Hillwood recommends for further study on its collection and founder. Enjoy exploring For Further Study: A Non-Required Reading List for more in-depth study on particular subjects or general context. As such, you may think of that list as where to go for your continued education after the docent training is completed.

Handouts

Handouts

A Garden for All Seasons 

Bonilla, Jessica. Who’s Who in Horticulture, 2024.

Bonilla, Jessica. Two sources for information about Hillwood’s sustainability initiatives:

  • Hillwood Environmental Action Team. “State of Sustainability 2022.” Hillwood Volunteer Newsletter (February 2023 issue).
  • Bonilla, Jessica. 2022. Lecture Videos: February 7, 2022: Day of Horticulture. Hillwood and Sustainability. Minute marker 1:27:14 (Note: Brian Greenfield, one of the speakers, is no longer employed at Hillwood.)

Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens’ website. www.hillwoodmuseum.org. Please peruse this website to understand the online content available to visitors, paying special attention to the “Estate” section (including “Marjorie Merriweather Post,” “Developing Her Taste,” Sir Joseph Duveen,” “Frozen Peas to Fabergé,” and “Life at Hillwood”) and the “Gardens” section.

Hillwood’s Website. “Before Hillwood: A History of this Land.” Hillwood’s Rich Soil.pdf (hillwoodmuseum.org)

Hillwood’s Website. “Hillwood’s Rich Soil.” https://hillwoodmuseum.org/hillwoods-rich-soil

Hillwood’s Website. “Sustainability at Hillwood.” https://hillwoodmuseum.org/sustainability-hillwood

“A Genius for Place: American Landscapes of the Country Place Era.” Library of American Landscape History.org. Lalh.org/intro/. Accessed January 23, 2015.

Griswold, Mac, & Eleanor Weller. “Introduction.” In The Golden Age of American Gardens: Proud Owners, Private Estates, 1890-1940, 13-25, 361. New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc, 1991.

Markert, Kate. A Garden for All Seasons: Marjorie Merriweather Post’s Hillwood. New York, NY: Rizzoli Electra, in association with Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens, 2020.

Markert, Kate, Lynn Rossotti, Liana Paredes. Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens. Washington, DC: Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens, 2015. This book is commonly referred to as Hillwood’s “souvenir book.” Sections of this book (p. 29-50 and p.91-111) are organized by mansion or garden room. We recommend reading those sections while walking those rooms. Note: only pencils (not pens) are allowed in the mansion.

Wilson, Richard Guy. “Picturesque Ambiguities: The Country House Tradition in America.” In The Long Island Country House 1870-1930, 13-36. Southampton, New York: The Parrish Art Museum, 1988.

Museum Visitors 

Falk, John H. “Calling All Spiritual Pilgrims: Identity in the Museum Experience.” Museum (Jan/Feb 2008): 62-67.

Learners at Hillwood. Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens.

Perry, Deborah L. “The Anatomy of a Museum Visit: What Visitors Really Want.” In The Sourcebook: AAM 1994 Annual Meeting, 69-72. Washington, DC: American Association of Museums, 1994.

Rand, Judy. “The Visitors’ Bill of Rights.” Reach, August, 1997.

Handouts

Marjorie Merriweather Post’s Biography 

Curator Lecture: Hillwood Museum’s Channel. “Marjorie Merriweather Post’s Biography.” YouTube video. 57:53 minutes. Published January 22, 2019. Accessed September 21, 2022. 

“A World Unique and Magnificent.” Life Magazine, November 5, 1965.

Brown, Stephanie. Marjorie Merriweather Post: A Timeline, 1887-1973. Washington, DC: Hillwood Museum & Gardens, 2006.

“Descendants of Charles William Post.” Washington, DC: Hillwood Museum & Gardens, 2018.

Chung, Estella M. Marjorie Merriweather Post: The Life Behind the Luxury. Washington, DC: Hillwood Museum and Gardens Foundation, in association with D. Giles Limited, 2019.

Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens’ Orientation Film. Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens. Accessed on January 6, 2017. https://hillwoodmuseum.org/visit/plan-your-visit. The 10-minute visitor orientation film is embedded on the “Plan Your Visit” webpage. This film is shown in the visitor center theater during regular open hours (10 a.m.-5 p.m.) on the quarter-hour.

Marjorie Merriweather Post: The Life Behind the Luxury | Q&A from December 9, 2019 Volunteer Education Sessions. Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens.

The Oral History Research Office. The Reminiscences of Marjorie Merriweather Post. New York: Columbia University, 1964.

Zeisler, Wilfried. The Houses and Collections of Marjorie Merriweather Post: The Joy of It, 6-67, 270-281. Washington, DC: Rizzoli Electa, 2022.

Handouts

Marjorie Merriweather Post and Staff at Hillwood

Curator Lecture: Hillwood Volunteer Website. “Living Artfully: At Home with Marjorie Merriweather Post.” YouTube video. 1:05:37 minutes. Published January 2019. Accessed September 7, 2022.

Curator Lecture: Hillwood Volunteer Website. “The Houses and Collection of Marjorie Merriweather Post: The Joy of It.” YouTube video. 1:15:49 minutes. Published December 2022. Accessed June 29, 2023.

Chung, Estella M. Living Artfully: At Home with Marjorie Merriweather Post. Washington, DC: Hillwood Museum and Gardens Foundation, in association with D. Giles Limited, 2013. 

Mansion and Garden Audio Tour Scripts. Washington, DC: Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens, January 2024. How to study this resource: Focus on the garden stops (the mansion stops can be reviewed later in the training). Get familiar with the garden sections/rooms, features, and objects covered in the audio tour script, as this document will be referenced throughout the training with specific sections due for each class on the gardens. The goal is to read the entire document by the end of the training. Note: This is a compilation of the scripts from the following audio tours: mansion, garden, family, French collection, and Russian collection. You have two options for accessing this resource: 1) You can read it as a Word document available from the volunteer website or 2) Download the mobile app from Hillwood’s website, located under “Visit” (the app includes images of the objects and rooms, which is handy). We recommend listening to the audio tour, with audio script in hand while walking the garden and mansion rooms. Note: only pencils (not pens) are allowed in the mansion. Note: Hillwood is closed to the public from January 15-February 2, 2024.

Post, Marjorie Merriweather. “Notes on Organization.” 1965.

Selections of primary source documents about Marjorie Merriweather Post and Hillwood’s gardens 

Visitor Guide and Map with Audio Tour. Washington, DC: Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens. This booklet is commonly referred to as Hillwood’s printed tour booklet. We recommend reading the printed tour booklet while walking the garden/mansion rooms. Note: only pencils (not pens) are allowed in the mansion.

Handouts

Object-based Learning, Critical Thinking, and Inquiry

Gartenhaus, Alan. “Teaching with Questions.” The Docent Educator 1, no. 3 (1992): 2-3.

Marsh, Caryl. “Opening the Way for Questions: Techniques for Encouraging the Expression of Curiosity.” Northeast Training News 2, no. 2 (1980): 8-9.

Shuh, John Hennigar. “Teaching Yourself to Teach With Objects.” Journal of Education 7, no. 4 (1985): 8-15.

Comprehensive Garden Notes (Revised February 9, 2024). Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens, 2023. This is a document that is written and updated regularly by Hillwood staff. It is organized by garden room, as well as by the interpretive framework docents use when discussing the gardens with visitors on tours. It is an important source of information about the gardens at Hillwood for staff and volunteers and will be referenced throughout the rest of the garden docent training. It is a good companion piece to the Plant Resource Guide.

Plant Resource Guide: Plants Highlighted on Docent-led Garden Tours. Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens, 2023. This guide can be used to identify and learn more about the plants important to Hillwood’s gardens and which lie along the tour route. It is written and updated regularly by Hillwood staff. It is an important source of information about the gardens for staff and volunteers and will be referenced throughout the rest of the garden docent training. It is a good companion piece to the Comprehensive Garden Notes.

Handouts

Motor Court & French Parterre

Horticulture Staff Lecture: Hillwood Volunteer Website. “Motor Court.” YouTube video, 21.34 minutes. Published January 29, 2024. Accessed February 2, 2024.

Horticulture Staff Lecture: Hillwood Volunteer Website. “French Parterre.” YouTube video, 21.34 minutes. Published January 29, 2024. Accessed February 2, 2024.

Read Motor Court and French Parterre sections in: Garden audio tour; Comprehensive Garden Notes; Plant Resource Guide; Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens (aka souvenir book)

French Parterre

Plumptre, George. “Gardens and History: From Ancient Egypt to Modern America.” In Garden Ornament: Five Hundred Years of History and Practice, 24-38. New York: Thames and Hudson, 1998.

Van Zuylen, Gabrielle. “Chapter IV: Formality Triumphant: The Classic French Garden.” In Paradise on Earth: The Gardens of Western Europe, 62-79. New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 1994.

Interpretive Frameworks

Carson, Barbara G. “Interpreting History through Objects.” In Patterns in Practice: Selections from the Journal of Museum Education, edited by Susan K. Nichols, 129-133. Washington, DC: Museum Education Roundtable, 1992.

Friedman, Renee. “For the Curator: Of Trees and Teacups: The Landscape as Artifact.” History News (July-August, 1988): 34-36.

Honig, Marÿke. “What is Interpretation?” In Making Your Garden Come Alive! Environmental Interpretation in Botanical Gardens, 1-3.  South African Botanical Diversity Network Report, No.9, May 2000.

Miner, Susan. “An Object Lesson.” The Docent Educator 4, no. 3 (1995): 7.

“Principles of Design” and “Elements of Art.” The J. Paul Getty Museum.

Handouts

Vista Terrace & Japanese-style Garden

Horticulture Staff Lecture: Hillwood Volunteer Website. “The Vista Overlook and Japanese-style Garden.” YouTube video, 24.11 minutes. Published February 8, 2024. Accessed February 9, 2024.

Read Japanese-style Garden & Vista Terrace sections in: Garden audio tour; Comprehensive Garden Notes; Plant Resource Guide; Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens (aka souvenir book)

Japanese-style Garden

Brown, Kendall H. “Territories of Play: A Short History of Japanese-style Gardens in North America.” In Japanese-style Gardens of the Pacific West Coast, 8-29. New York: Rizzoli, 1999.

Brown, Kendall H. “The Japanese Style Garden at Hillwood and its Context.” In Antiques, 3, 140-145. 

Vandenbroucke, Frances. Anatomy of a Waterfall. Washington, DC: Hillwood Museum & Gardens, 2019. (added February 13, 2024)

“Self-Guided Tour: Hillwood in Focus, Japanese-style Garden.” Washington, DC: Hillwood Museum & Gardens, 2002.

Three Readings about Shogo Myaida from the Web.

Whiting, Brooke. Sections II-IV. In The Japanese Style Garden at Hillwood. Washington, DC: Hillwood Museum and Gardens, 1997.

Handouts

Friendship Walk, Four Seasons Overlook, Putting Green, Lunar Lawn, and Rose Garden

Horticulture Staff Lecture: Hillwood Volunteer Website. “Lunar Lawn.” YouTube video, 26.08 minutes. Published February 16, 2024. Accessed February 20, 2024.

Horticulture Staff Lecture: Hillwood Volunteer Website. “Putting Green.” YouTube video, 13.19 minutes. Published February 16, 2024. Accessed February 20, 2024.

Horticulture Staff Lecture: Hillwood Volunteer Website. “Rose Garden.” YouTube video, 20.01 minutes. Published February 20, 2024. Accessed February 21, 2024.

Horticulture Staff Lecture: Hillwood Volunteer Website. “Friendship Walk and Four Seasons Overlook.” YouTube video, 15.52 minutes. Published February 20, 2024. Accessed February 21, 2024.

Read Lunar Lawn, Friendship Walk, Four Seasons Overlook, Putting Green and Rose Garden sections in: Garden audio tour; Comprehensive Garden Notes; Plant Resource Guide; Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens (aka souvenir book)

Bonilla, Jessica. “Garden Path Renovation.” Hillwood Volunteer Newsletter (September 2023 issue)

Galle, Fred C. “Azaleas: Plants, Habits, Flowers, and Leaves.” In Azaleas, 35-38, 48-52. Portland, Oregon: Timber Press, 1995.

Handouts

Workshop: Five-Minute Object Lesson Development

Gartenhaus, Alan. “Hey, What’s the Big Idea?” The Docent Educator 5, no. 1 (1995): 6-7.

Handouts

Cutting Garden, Greenhouse, Orchids, Floral Design and Seasonal Plantings

Horticulture Staff Lecture: Hillwood Volunteer Website. “Cutting Garden.” YouTube video, 27:36 minutes. Published March 19, 2024. Accessed March 19, 2024.

Horticulture Staff Lecture: Hillwood Volunteer Website. “Floral Design.” YouTube video, 14:32 minutes. Published March 20, 2024. Accessed March 20, 2024.

Horticulture Staff Lecture: Hillwood Volunteer Website. “Orchids.” YouTube video, 16:50 minutes. Published March 19, 2024. Accessed March 19, 2024.

Horticulture Staff Lecture: Hillwood Volunteer Website. “Seasonal Displays.” YouTube video, 27:55 minutes. Published March 19, 2024. Accessed March 19, 2024.

Read Cutting Garden and Greenhouse sections in: Garden audio tour; Comprehensive Garden Notes; Plant Resource Guide; Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens (aka souvenir book)

Bonilla, Jessica. “Celebrating Orchids at Hillwood.” Hillwood Volunteer Newsletter (March 2022 issue).

Wilber, Ami. “Virtual Floral Design | From the Garden to Your Vase.” (public workshop August 2023) Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens. 

Handouts

Room Demonstration Development

Interpreting the Gardens-Mansion Connection on Tours. Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens. 2023.

Spring & Summer Displays at Hillwood, document to come

Upstander Training

Communication Skills for Docents. Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens.

Staff Lecture: Hillwood Volunteer Website. “Volunteer Training: Being an Active Upstander.” YouTube video. 47:08 minutes. Published November 2022. Accessed June 29, 2023.

Welcoming All: Creating an Inclusive Tour Experience. Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens.

Welcoming All: Engaging with Different Visitors. Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens.

Gartenhaus, Alan. “Crafting a Tour.” The Docent Educator 5, no. 1 (1995): 2-4.

Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens’ website. www.hillwoodmuseum.org. Please peruse the website to understand the touring options, amenities, and policies relating to the visitor experience, paying special attention to the “Visit” section, including “Opening Hours and Tickets,” “Plan Your Visit,” “Hints and Tips,” “Merriweather Café,” “Accessibility,” and “Museum Shop.”

Volunteer Documents: Additional