Native Plant Habitat Displays
| Author(s) | Schulhof, Richard | |
| Date Accessioned | 2008-03-10T02:04:56Z | |
| Date Available | 2008-03-10T02:04:56Z | |
| Publication Date | 1989-05 | |
| Abstract | A native plant habitat display is defined as a cultivated public display of native plants which attempts to simulate the appearance of a natural plant association. A national mail survey of gardens displaying native plants revealed that habitat displays represent a strong future trend for native plant exhibits in public gardens. A case study at North Carolina Botanical Garden (NCBG) examined the objectives and methods of a habitat display, the response of visitors, and the factors influencing the display's educational effectiveness. Exit interviews with visitors illuminated how personal background and experience influenced appreciation and learning. Factors strongly influencing visitor response to the display included visit purpose, expectations of NCBG, possession of knowledge relating to the plant habitats depicted, and wayfinding ability. Other techniques examined the influence of display elements on visitor response. To assess the role of visual features, Visitor-employed Photography, a technique for measuring perceptions of natural environments, was adapted to the purposes of the study. Visitor subjects were issued an automatic camera and asked to travel a defined route through the display, photographing the features they found most interesting or that "grabbed their attention." Photographic data was correlated with observations of visitor behavior in the display, yielding a map of visitor response. The display features most strongly influencing visitor response to the display were inventoried, revealing that elements bearing novelty or mystery, flower color, and water features all elicited positive visitor response. Based upon the NCBG study results, recommendations are made for the improved design and interpretation of habitat displays. Recommended interpretation methods include use of conceptual orientation, story labels and plant identification. Design methods include the creation of perceptually exciting nodes and the use of landscape immersion techniques. | en_US |
| Extent | Note: Except for the faculty signature page, which was not digitized, the entire thesis was scanned as formatted by the author. | en |
| URL | http://udspace.udel.edu/handle/19716/3091 | |
| Language | en_US | en_US |
| Publisher | University of Delaware | en_US |
| Keywords | Horticulture | en_US |
| Keywords | Environmental | en_US |
| Keywords | Garden design | en_US |
| Keywords | Native plants | en_US |
| Keywords | Habitat | en_US |
| Title | Native Plant Habitat Displays | en_US |
| Type | Thesis | en_US |