The Gardens
In her writing and lectures, Wright urged women to become active gardeners, echoing the “garden fever” that overtook the United States at the end of the nineteenth century. Women were especially encouraged to garden as it was viewed as a safe way to expose them to fresh air and exercise.
Wright and other early female conservationists used the garden as a point of departure to teach women about the environment. They took advantage of gardening’s quasi-public nature to embolden women to expand their activities outside the home and become active conservationists in the larger world.