  andrew jackson downing (october 30, 1815 â july 28, 1852)find a grave was an american landscape designer, horticulturalist, and writer, a prominent advocate of the gothic revival style in the united states, and editor of the horticulturist magazine (1846â52). many scholars consider downing to be "the father of american landscape architecture," although some scholars have bestowed that title upon frederick law olmsted. ==early life== downing was born in newburgh, new york, united states, to samuel downing (a nurseryman and wheelwright) and becky crandall. after finishing his schooling at 16, he worked in his father's nursery in the town of newburgh, and gradually became interested in landscape gardening and architecture. he began writing on botany and landscape gardening and then undertook to educate himself thoroughly in these subjects. ==professional career== thumb|left|110px|design ii, english or rural gothic style, cottage residences, 1842. thumb|left|110px|design vi, italian style, cottage residences, 1842. his official writing career started when he began writing articles for various newspapers and horticultural journals in the 1830s. in 1841 his first book, a treatise on the theory and practice of landscape gardening, adapted to north america, was published to a great success; it was the first book of its kind published in the united states. in 1842 downing collaborated with alexander jackson davis on the book cottage residences, a highly influential pattern book of houses that mixed romantic architecture with the english countryside's pastoral picturesque, derived in large part from the writings of john claudius loudon.{{cite web|title=andrew jackson downing|url=http://www.fredericklawolmsted.com/
1815_births 1852_deaths Accidental_deaths_in_New_York American_architecture_writers American_designers American_garden_writers American_landscape_and_garden_designers Deaths_due_to_shipwreck Deaths_from_fire_in_the_United_States Gothic_Revival_architects Horticulturists_and_gardeners People_from_New_York People_from_Newburgh,_New_York