Phebe Westcott Humphreys

Phebe Westcott Humphreys (January 28, 1864 – June 17, 1939) was a journalist, horticulturist, photographer and children's book author, known for documenting and influencing landscape design with publications including ''The Practical Book of Garden Architecture'' (Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott Co., 1914). Her work was favored by experts including the botanist Charles Howard Shinn, who lauded Humphreys' "amazing wealth of knowledge," and the tastemaker Ruby Ross Wood. Humphreys contributed about 400 feature articles and regular columns to periodicals including ''House and Garden'' and ''Harper's Bazar''. Among her topics are farms and factories run by immigrants; architectural preservation work; environmental sustainability; philanthropies donating plants to the poor; and newly patented household appliances. Her pioneering guidebook for car travelers, ''The Automobile Tourist'' (Philadelphia: Ferris & Leach, 1905), was praised by ''The Philadelphia Inquirer'' for "most thorough information" provided by "an enthusiastic automobilist." In 2020, the Cultural Landscape Foundation designated her a pioneer. Provided by Wikipedia