Ornamental horticulture in the 19th century: a symbolic language of social distinction in the context of European imperialism

Abstract

This article aims to elucidate the way in which ornamental horticulture gained centrality in the 19th century among the nobility and wealthy bourgeoisie in European countries that sought to expand their empires overseas, acting as a powerful symbolic language of social distinction. The acquisition of plants considered rare and exotic, mainly from the tropics, combined with the ideals of Romanticism, opened space for the rooting of tastes, behaviors and sensibilities, initially among elite groups who spent veritable fortunes on the purchase and cultivation of species that began to appear in collections, many of which were kept in heated glasshouses on properties located in the countryside or in the city. In this scenario, horticulturists, particularly English, French and Belgian, played a prominent role, because, in addition to financing plant collectors on expeditions to tropical regions overseas and becoming owners of successful commercial establishments, they edited and published specialized magazines that pointed out preferences and celebrated species that were thus sold as highly valued goods.