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Perry Hunt Wheeler (5 October 1913 – 1989) was an American 
landscape architect
A landscape architect is a person who is educated in the field of landscape architecture. The practice of landscape architecture includes: site analysis, site inventory, site planning, land planning, planting design, grading, storm water manage ...
who is primarily known for several garden projects in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...
, including the White House Rose Garden
The White House Rose Garden is a garden bordering the Oval Office and the West Wing of the White House in Washington, D.C., United States. The garden is approximately 125 feet long and 60 feet wide ( by , or about 684m2). It balances the Jacqueli ...
. He was born in Cordele, Georgia
Cordele is a city in and the county seat of Crisp County, Georgia. The population was 11,165 at the 2010 census, and 10,220 in 2020.
Cordele calls itself the watermelon capital of the world.
History 19th century
Cordele was incorporated on ...
to John L. and Sarah Wheeler. He began his post-secondary education at Emory College, but soon transferred to the University of Georgia
The University of Georgia (UGA or Georgia) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university with its main campus in Athens, Georgia, United States. Chartered in 1785, it is the oldest public university in th ...
where he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1937. He went on to earn a graduate degree in landscape architecture in 1938 from Harvard University
Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...
.
Wheeler moved to Georgetown in the District of Columbia after World War II and began practicing by designing private gardens for the District's high society clientele. He specialized in low-maintenance gardens that consisted of water features, ornamental shrubbery
A shrubbery, shrub border or shrub garden is a part of a garden where shrubs, mostly flowering species, are thickly planted. The original shrubberies were mostly sections of large gardens, with one or more paths winding through it, a less-remem ...
, and detailed hardscape
Hardscape is hard landscape materials in the built environment structures that are incorporated into a landscape. This can include paved areas, driveways, retaining walls, sleeper walls, stairs, walkways, and any other landscaping made up of ...
s.
In addition to working with Rachel "Bunny" Mellon on the official design of the Rose Garden, Wheeler worked on projects such as the National Arboretum Asian Garden pagoda, several gardens of the Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens, and the Washington National Cathedral
The Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul in the City and Episcopal Diocese of Washington, commonly known as Washington National Cathedral or National Cathedral, is a cathedral of the Episcopal Church. The cathedral is located in Wa ...
Bishop's Garden.
The American Horticultural Society presented Wheeler with an AHS Landscape Design Award in 1977. Other honors included serving on the Garden Advisory Committee at Dumbarton Oaks
Dumbarton Oaks, formally the Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection, is a historic estate in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. It was the residence and gardens of wealthy U.S. diplomat Robert Woods Bliss and his wife ...
from 1964 to 1974 and an Award of Merit from the University of Georgia.
Wheeler died of cancer in Virginia, at the age of 76.
Published articles
* ''Home and Garden'', 1953, “The Bride’s First Garden: A Five Year Plan” * ''The American Garden'', 1951, "Three Purpose Garden"References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wheeler, Perry Hunt 1913 births 1989 deaths American landscape architects People from Cordele, Georgia University of Georgia alumni Harvard Graduate School of Design alumni