An analysis of best practices for interpretation development at public gardens
Date
2013
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Publisher
University of Delaware
Abstract
Interpretation can be the most effective way for public gardens to communicate with their audiences by connecting their interests with the mission and resources of the organization. As the messages that public gardens strive to communicate become more complex and the interests and backgrounds of visitors become increasingly diverse, interpretation is more important than ever to fulfilling the mission of many public gardens. However, the importance of interpretation is easily overlooked, and many public gardens struggle to understand interpretation, its role in public horticulture, and how to best develop it. This research compares and contrasts a variety of approaches to interpretation development at public gardens using surveys, case studies, and expert interviews. Different approaches are analyzed, including the organization’s perceived value of an approach and staff satisfaction with various aspects of their own interpretation and development processes. Staff and volunteer training, interpretive planning documents, professional development organizations, evaluation, staff composition, and barriers faced in the interpretation development process are all factors included in this analysis. Survey results revealed many interpretive development practices that are yielding significant benefits for public gardens. The data also revealed that the majority of public gardens have significant room for improvement with regard to interpretation planning and development. For instance, organizations were more likely to be satisfied with the interpretive media that they routinely evaluated, but few organizations routinely conducted evaluation of interpretive media or messages. This research led to the development of a set of recommendations for public gardens that will help guide decision-making related to interpretation development practices.