Lake Douglas, PhD, FASLA, recently retired as professor emeritus from LSU’s College of Design, where he was Associate Dean and Professor of Landscape Architecture. He developed and directed the City’s public art program for twelve years, and post-K, helped create the Lafitte Greenway. He has lectured and written extensively about design issues and local cultural landscapes. Among his books are Buildings of New Orleans (with Karen Kingsley) and Public Spaces Private Gardens: A History of Designed Landscapes in New Orleans, and he edits the award-winning “Reading the American Landscape” series for LSU Press.