California Eden

Christine Edstrom O'Hara is an associate professor of landscape at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. She received her Bachelor's degree in English and Art History from Stanford University, Master's degree from University of Washington in Landscape Architecture and Preservation Planning, and PhD in Landscape Architecture from University of Edinburgh. In addition to teaching, Prof. O'Hara has had a landscape design practice for over 20 years. Within that practice, she consults on the restoration and preservation of historic landscapes by writing National Register nominations, Cultural Landscape Reports, as well as restoration and rehabilitation plans. She is the president of the California Garden & Landscape History Society, trustee for the National Association for Olmsted Parks and is passionate about education and conservation of historic places.
Co-editor Susan Chamberlin is a landscape historian and a licensed landscape architect with a master's degree in architectural history from the University of California, Santa Barbara. She is a founding member of the California Garden & Landscape History Society and a former adjunct faculty member of Santa Barbara City College where she taught landscape history. In addition to contributions to Shaping the American Landscape, Eden: The Journal of the California Garden & Landscape History Society, Arts and Architecture magazine, Site Lines, historic structures reports, and other publications, she is the author of Hedges, Screens & Espaliers and was a contributing editor for several horticulture books.