A century before 3-D movies became a Hollywood fad in the 1950s, stereographic views were a popular recreational pastime that enabled photographs to be viewed in three dimensions. What appear to be two identical images adjacent to each other on a cardboard support are actually slightly different. When viewed through the lenses of a stereoscope, they 'merge' to form a single 3-D image.

Over 800 historic stereographs maintained by the Horticulture Services Division reflect some aspect of decorative arts in floral, garden, or landscape design. This valuable record documents how people from another era used ornament to enhance their surroundings.