Women's Education

The feminization of gardening began with sexist education standards. Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, women were encouraged to study domestic sciences. Part of this educational track included studying botany. Botany was taught to women through poetry. Here is an excerpt from an early example written by the English physician, Erasmus Darwin:

The Botanic Garden (1794-95)
“E’en round the Pole the flames of love aspire,
And icy bosoms feel the secret fire,
Cradled in snow, and fanned by Arctic air,
Shines, gentle borametz, thy golden hair;
Rooted in earth, each cloven foot descends,
And round and round her flexile neck she bends,
Crops the grey coral moss, and hoary thyme,
Or laps with rosy tongue the melting rime;
Eyes with mute tenderness her distant dam,
And seems to bleat—a vegetable lamb.”

Introducing botany is this format allowed the study to assimilate within circulating literature discussed in women’s social clubs. From the literature that was produced in response to the introduction of botany poetry it is clear that discussing the poetic form   was favored over discussing the science embedded within the poems. This preference can be attributed to the pressure women faced at this time to avoid the “masculine” disciplines. Discussing the colorful adjectives and playful prose cultivated new ideas on plants and symbolism amongst women. A popular publication from this phenomenon is Catherine Waterman’s Interpretation of the Language and Sentiment of Flowers written in the 1840s. (insert PDF of page for Yew Tree). While the sexist history of female education standards produced the genre of nature writing by women, the rapid urbanization of American life produced texts that encourage nature to be a part of women’s responsibilities.