The National Mall in Southwest Washington in Washington, District of Columbia — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

The Parterre

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), November 28, 2017

1. The Parterre Marker

Inscription. Parterre—from a French term meaning "on or along the ground"—originated in the 16th-century Renaissance Italy as an ornamental garden style. The style, which defines garden pace by arranging hedges, flowers, grass, water, and gravel to form a pleasing pattern, was adapted in France in the 1580s and became exceedingly popular. Parterre fell out of favor in the 18th century during a shift to more naturalistic designs. • During the Victorian era, parterre enjoyed an exuberant revival in the United States. The Sunken Garden at the 1876 Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia featured a parterre whose design later inspired the Smithsonian Castle's original parterre. Created for America's Bicentennial, that parterre was removed in the 1980s for the construction of the underground museum complex and rebuilt as the centerpiece of the Enid A. Haupt Garden.

Erected by Smithsonian Gardens.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Horticulture & Forestry. A significant historical year for this entry is 1580.

Location. 38° 53.28′ N, 77° 1.559′ W. Marker is in Southwest Washington in Washington, District of Columbia. It is in The National Mall. It can be reached from Independence Avenue Southwest west of 7th Street Southwest

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, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1050 Independence Avenue Southwest, Washington DC 20560, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Washington Metropolitan Area.

It is also in the American Northeast,

in the Upper South,

in the Mid-Atlantic,

in the Tidewater,

and in the Chesapeake Bay Region.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Enid A. Haupt Garden (a few steps from this marker); The Pillars of the Renwick Gates (a few steps from this marker); Yinka Shonibare MBE (a few steps from this marker); Constantine L. Seferlis (a few steps from this marker); Built above an underground museum complex (within shouting distance of this marker); The Moongate Garden (within shouting distance of this marker); Threats to Coral Reefs (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Enid A. Haupt Garden (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Southwest Washington.

More about this marker.
[Caption:]
Sunken Garden, Fairmount Park, Philadelphia, PA 1876 • Keystone View Co., B.L. Stagley, 1898
Smithsonian Institution, Horticulture Services Division, Archives of American Gardens

For more information about the Smithsonian gardens, visit www.gardens.si.edu

Additional keywords. Landscape architecture

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), November 28, 2017

2. The Parterre Marker

Photographed by J. Makali Bruton, September 5, 2016

3. The Parterre Marker

Photographed by J. Makali Bruton, September 5, 2016

4. The Parterre Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on January 30, 2023. It was originally submitted on November 28, 2017, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 963 times since then and 45 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on November 28, 2017, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. 3, 4. submitted on December 12, 2017, by J. Makali Bruton of Washington, District of Columbia. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.