Morven Museum & Garden Presenting Symposium on the American Greenhouse

PRINCETON, N.J. - April 13, 2018 - PRLog -- Since the 1800's in America, gardeners have sought ways to provide citrus, tropical plants, and flowers to brighten the darkest days of winter in estates and homes of the well-to-do.  Travel back in time to the more genteel era of Princeton, and American life, in the 1850's, by attending Morven's day-long symposium on the American Greenhouse, Saturday, May 12, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., at Morven Museum & Garden, 55 Stockton Street, Princeton, NJ.

This exciting day-long program will spark interest in every plant lover: gardens, grand houses, and their greenhouses.  For the weekend gardener to the horticulturalist, Morven's Symposium features expert and entertaining lecturers, a catered luncheon at Princeton's illustrious Present Day Club, as well as a Curator-led tour of Morven's special  exhibition A Gentleman's Pursuit: The Commodore's Greenhouse.

Research conducted at Morven in the 2000's revealed Commodore Robert F. Stockton (1795-1866) had built a  greenhouse between 1852-1854 during the era in which he and his family occupied one of Princeton's grandest homes.   Little was known about the greenhouse until a 2013 archaeological dig conducted by Hunter Research, Inc. uncovered the brick and stone foundation of the structure.  This greenhouse revealed the refined gentleman's pastime of the Commodore, reflecting his stature and financial standing to enjoy such a hobby. Maintaining the structure and the plants within would have likely involved a trained gardener with help from farm hands. Based on the archeological findings, it is believed that the greenhouse fell out of use in the 1880s.

Mr. Joel Fry, long-time Curator of Bartram's Garden in Philadelphia, Dr. Victoria Johnson of Hunter College and author of the soon-to-be-released American Eden: David Hosack, Botany, and Medicine in the Garden of the Early Republic, and Ms. Arete Warren, author of the classic work on the subject Glass Houses: A History of Greenhouses, Orangeries and Conservatories come together to present a day-long symposium celebrating A Gentleman's Pursuit: The Commodore's Greenhouse.

The schedule is as follows:

• Plants for Winter's Diversion: Greenhouse History and Greenhouse Plants at Bartram's Garden presented by Joel Fry, Curator of Bartram's Garden.
• American Eden: David Hosack, Botany, and Medicine in the Garden of the Early Republic presented by Dr. Victoria Johnson, Hunter College Associate Professor of Urban Policy and Planning.
• More Glass than Wall: Cultivating Eden presented by Arete Warren, author of Glass Houses.

Light refreshments following lectures and tours, as well as a catered luncheon at the renowned Present Day Club, at 72 Stockton Street, are all included in the fee of $75; $60 for Friends of Morven. Click to register https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-gentlemans-pursuit-a-symposium-on-the-american-greenhouse-tickets-42710094041 or call 609.924.8144 ext 113 or email dlampertrudman@morven.org

ABOUT MORVEN MUSEUM & GARDEN
Situated on five pristine acres in this university town, Morven is a short walk from the Princeton University campus.  The museum boasts a growing collection of fine and decorative arts, including loans from the Boudinot Collection at the Princeton University Art Museum. Morven's second floor galleries serve as a changing exhibit space with new shows opening every few months celebrating New Jersey's cultural  heritage.

For more than 200 years Morven has played a role in the history of New Jersey and the nation. Originally part of a 5,500-acre tract purchased from William Penn in 1701 by the Stockton family, it became the site of the home of Richard Stockton, a Signer of the Declaration of Independence. Morven was also home to Robert Wood Johnson and his family, and eventually five New Jersey governors.  Morven began its conversion to a museum and opened to the public in 2004.