Home Gardens as Transported Landscapes: Ethnobotanical Encounters with Southeast Asian-American Horticulturists

This research examines the belief system, knowledge base and practice of Southeast Asian-Americans residing on the West coast of Florida. The importance of traditional ecological knowledge and home gardens as venues for cultural preservation for migrant horticulturalists is illustrated. Data collection methods include: geospatial mapping, identification of key food and medicinal plant species, and ethnographic interviews. Home gardens serve as reconstructed landscapes for immigrant populations by stimulating cultural preservation of plants used in traditional healing, and providing a venue for the intergenerational transfer of traditional knowledge. Transported landscapes require traditional ecological knowledge regarding floral identification, uses, and cultivation practices. Home gardens not only provide sustenance, but are also a source of pride for migrants: most gardeners relate their botanical husbandry as expressions of self-worth. This study documents the cultivation of flora significant to this population, and seeks to demonstrate how home gardens help preserve cultural heritage and integrity.