Concept
Historic garden conservation is a specialised type of historic preservation and conservation or restoration concerned with historical and landmark gardens and designed landscapes. Practitioners predominantly come from backgrounds in horticulture, garden design, landscape design, and landscape architecture. To prepare a management plan for a historic garden, such experts require knowledge and skills in environmental design, horticulture, landscape history, architectural history, and management. Specialist educational programs are available (see section below). Historic garden restoration is the professional task of restoring historic gardens to the character they had at a previous point in history. Since the use of old gardens is in flux, this normally involves a consideration of current and future use. The job of researching historic gardens and preparing a policy for their conservation involves landscape archaeology, historic knowledge, design judgment and technical skill in horticulture and construction. Several universities and colleges in England run undergraduate and postgraduate courses related to historic garden conservation. MA in garden and landscape history, Institute of Historical Research (London) BSc landscape management course, University of Greenwich Historic environment (landscapes and gardens) courses, Institute of Continuing Education (Cambridge) BSc garden design, restoration and management, Writtle College The University of Bath ran a specialist MSc / PGDip course in the conservation of historic gardens and cultural landscapes, until the 2014–15 academic year. The Institut national du patrimoine (The National Institute of Cultural Heritage) trains curators specialized in "scientific, technical and natural heritage". Statutory protection exists for registered parks, gardens and designed landscapes.
