Philip’s Garden Blog

Wa (Harmony)

After leaves have fallen from branches and late flowers have gone to seed, the garden in winter exists in a time apart; a time of pine, moss, stone, twig and branch. Thin light from a low sun reveals immutable forms; the winter garden is ascetic, chaste and austere. Wistful recollections of summer’s past and yearnings for the promise of spring is what often informs us during this season, but the quiet beauty of a garden in winter has its own truth. On a hushed day flanked by storms past and expected, one’s eyes can be opened to this beauty, the mind in concert with the moment.

Kei (respect)

The traditional Japanese garden has many forms, and for me the Japanese Tea Garden, Chaniwa, expresses the qualities of the garden in winter. This type of garden, intimately incorporated into the Japanese tea ceremony itself, is a unique intersection of a highly developed aesthetic philosophy and a spiritual ritual.  There are those who have spent a lifetime studying The Way of Tea, or Chado, and I will only attempt to touch lightly here on the gardens, the Roji, that are attached to the teahouse and their role in the tea ceremony.

Sen Rikyu (1522-1591) had a profound influence on the tea ceremony and the surroundings in which the ceremony was held. Eschewing elaborate imported Chinese porcelains and the like, Rikyu incorporated into the ceremony both the spiritual practice of Zen Buddhism, with an emphasis on the immediate and non-duality, and a highly considered appreciation of the rustic, the irregular and the asymmetric softened by the patina of age.  The progression of the ceremony became a kind of ritualized set choreography of prescribed gestures and deportment;  participants cleared the mind of irrelevancies, the past and future, and allowed the mind and body to be in the moment.

Guests assemble in the outer garden, resting in a shelter called a machiai as they await their turn to proceed to the teahouse to participate in the tea ceremony.

Sei (Purity)   

As the guests are summoned to the teahouse, they proceed to the inner garden, uchiroji, on a meandering path. Carefully placed to direct and slow the guest, these stones should be placed naturally as if one were proceeding down a mountain path. The word roji can be translated to “dewy path” and walking on this path of simple stone and moss prepares the participant to open their “beginner’s mind”, passing from the mundane world to the heightened experience of the rustic tearoom.  A low water basin is provided, as washing the hands and mouth before tea literally and spiritually removes the “dust of the world.”

Rikyu stressed the purity of the roji, the inner and outer parts of the garden divided by a bamboo wicket or sarudo so that it “appears as if a hermit lives in a hut in an old thicket.”

 
Jaku (Tranquility) 

An aesthetic sesibility that Rikyu refined was the concept of wabi; the style of the tea ceremony as practiced by Rikyu came to be known as wabi-cha, or literally “poor tea”.
Words such as “poor”, “rustic”, “desolation”,  and “imperfection” have different shades of meaning in the West. The concepts that these words express take on an exaltation of taste in the concept of wabi: free of avarice, competition and the ways of the world, the hermit in his solitude, observant of nature and sheltered in his hut on an inhospitable mountain found contentment and spiritual clarity.

The tea garden is informed by nature, but is not a “natural” garden. Natural elements are carefully considered for volume, form and balance. Within this construct is the lack of ostentation, and the quality of restraint; truth is found in the natural world, and in its bittersweet imperfections.

Neither blossoms nor tinted foliage are seen around a rush thatched hut that stands alone by the sea strand, twilight of autumn.
—Fujiwari Teika (1162-1241)

The term wabi is often conjoined with another philosphical concept, sabi. The effects of time such as the weathering of wood, the corrosion of metal, the patina of age, the cycles of nature, indeed our own mortality is inherant in the concept of sabi, and the fusion of the words wabi-sabi is a rich poetic idea that expresses both the tea garden, and the human condition in all seasons.

It is in us that God meets with Nature, and yesterday parts from tomorrow. The present is the moving Infinity, the legitimate sphere of the relative. Relativity seeks adjustment; adjustment is art.“
— Kakuzo Okakura, the Book of Tea (1906)

The gardener who has seen many seasons and harvests may ponder what is the beginning and what is the end? What is completion? Is it the plant in flower and in fruit? The plant gone to seed or with dormant roots? The tender sprouts of spring?  The garden in winter, and the tea garden shows that nature is constantly devolving toward, or evolving from that which is.

Rikyu loved to quote an old poem which says:  To those who long only for flowers, fain would I show the full-blown spring which abides in the toiling buds of snow-covered hills.
—Kakuzo Okakura, The Book of Tea

Every year there are a few gardens that I have to visit. These are “destination” gardens: gardens worthy of a dedicated outing. The Green Gulch farm and garden in the Marin headlands is of that category. Usually we visit this garden in the summer, when parts of the garden are filled with the heady fragrance of rose, nicotiana and lavender. Recently we came here on a foggy, winter morning, and we found that these gardens and the farm had a special quality in every season.

Green Gulch Farm Zen Center, also known as Green Dragon Temple (Soryu-ji), is a Buddhist practice center in the Japanese Soto Zen tradition.

The public is welcome to the gardens and plant nursery, and to participate in their upcoming garden programs. On Sunday, March 15, 2009,  head gardener Carolyn Cavanagh along with Sukey Parmelee lead an edible native plant walk through the surrounding hillsides.

I had the pleasure of talking with the head gardener Carolyn Cavanagh about the gardens and farm. The most formal of the gardens was influenced by the horticulturist Alan Chadwick who contributed not only a sensibility for gardens in the English manner, but also introduced biodynamic techniques to the farm. The plantings were carried out by Wendy Johnson. A circular yew hedge (Taxus baccata) surrounds the garden punctuated by flowering arbors on the four directional entrances. Carolyn commented that the yew hedge is rigorously pruned to keep it at its current height. Centering the garden is a Japanese snowbell (Styrax japonica) surrounded by low clipped hedges.

The garden lies in a gently sloping valley which decends west to the Pacific ocean. The surrounding coastal hillsides are protected land, part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

The flower borders maintain winter interest with foliage contrasts of russet, light green and gold.

In the orchard, espalliered fruit trees are interplanted with rows of currants and raspberries.

The orchard encompasses 28 varieties of fruit trees.

Carolyn explained that many of the trees have a dwarf root stalk to keep harvesting manageable. High density or angle plantings are incorporated; the entire orchard is highly pruned.

A sculptural manzanita, Arctostaphylos sp.,  stands at the entrance to the Garden of Peace.

A Tibetan cherry tree, prunus serrula, is festooned with mementos as a path for healing.

A highlight for me during a visit to these gardens is the plant nursery. Certified by California Organic Farmers (CCOF), I have purchased many plant treasures here such as the California native flowering current, Ribes sanguineum. This plant delighted me with long racemes of pendulous pink flowers, and I was excited to see what I would discover here today.

Abutilon sp with Penstemon barbatus blooms profusely in the nursery garden even in winter. I noted that these are plants to consider for color in the garden this time of year.

Many of the plants featured at the nursery are also grown in the surrounding gardens. I find this helpful as many plants are semi-dormant this time of year, and it can be difficult to envision what a plant will look like when mature. Some plants can be glorious when left to grow a few seasons in the garden, but can look rather twiggy and hapless when constrained in a pot. I purchased a one gallon plant that I have wanted for years, Angelica archangelica. The small, celery like leaves in its container gives little hint to the tall and wild display I hope to see from this plant in my garden this summer.

Libertia peregrinans does give you a sense of its habit when potted. With its striking orange-brown foliage, Libertia planted in the adjacent garden was an effective contrast to the yellow-green foliage of feverfew, Chrysanthemum parthenium.

With its deep overhanging roof, the potting shed overlooks the nursery garden, now mulched for winter.

Made partly of straw bale construction, the shed was built by the community.

A series of alcoves are incorporated into the thick north wall.
Volunteers are welcome to work in the garden on Tuesdays from 9:00 a.m. until noon. Volunteers are invited to stay for lunch.

The nursery is open every day, year round from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The nursery features organically grown plants which flourish in the coastal climate: flowering perennials, natives, culinary and medicinal herbs, shrubs, bamboo and fruit plants. Plants are for sale throughout the day.

Progressing through the valley as it gently descends to the sea, the series of ornamental garden rooms opens to cultivated land. Late blooming Calendula flowers thrive amongst rows of asparagus and a stately cardoon, Cynara cardunculus. On the morning of our visit, windbreaks of Monterey cypress, Cupressus macrocarpa held back the coastal fog.

Begun over 30 years ago by gardener emeritus Wendy Johnson, the Green Gulch farm was a pioneer and leading voice in the employment of organic farming methods in the United States. Today the farm is a living model for sustainable agricultural practices and land stewardship.

A summer residential apprenticeship program is offered in organic gardening and farming. The apprenticeship emphasizes meditation practice and hands-on work experience and instruction in organic farming methods. Former apprentices have gone on to establish organic farms, bakeries and promote positive growth in their communities in numerous ways. Jeremy Rourke, a public school teacher, works with elementary school children teaching computer science and chess and mentors at-risk youth:  “I found out a lot about myself at Zen Center….On the farm time slows down….You see the lifecycle of plants; it’s going at its own speed. Giving up my time expectations of life helps with patience in working with the kids.”

Led by Alan Hawkins, workshops in beginning beekeeping are offered.
Now that it is winter the bees are cold and in their hives. We wish them well.
–Carolyn Cavanagh, Head Gardener at Green Gulch Farm

From May to November the farm provides its organic produce to the San Francisco vegetarian restaurant, Greens. Located at Fort Mason, the restaurant’s large windows command spectacular views of the Golden Gate and the Marin Headlands. Chef Annie Sommerville, with produce from Green Gulch Farm, has elevated vegetarian cuisine to influence and inspire chefs nationally.
Today we are surprised if a good restaurant does NOT have vegetarian options. Greens helped pave the way for this acceptance.
http://www.greensrestaurant.com

On Saturdays from June to October you can buy Green Gulch produce at San Franciso’s Ferry Market Plaza. Located on the Embarcadero by the bay, this market is a happening place with regional growers of certified organic produce, artisanal breads and cheeses.
http://www.ferrybuildingmarketplace.com

For more information and to visit Green Gulch Farm and Gardens:
http://www.sfzc.org

The website includes many excellent public transportation and rideshare options.

Directions by car:
Take Highway 101 to the Highway 1/Stinson Beach exit. Turn left onto Highway 1 (Shoreline Highway). Follow the green signs for Highway 1/Stinson Beach. After 2.5 miles the road forks - bear left towards Muir Beach. Go 2 more miles and you’ll see a eucalyptus grove and large sign on the left indicating the driveway, “Zen Center/Green Gulch Farm/Wheelwright Center.”

The basis of farming is actually awareness…. Understanding interconnectedness, understanding impermanence, birth and death: it’s all right there on the farm.

 –Sara Tashker, Green Gulch Farm

Eleven years ago the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao opened its doors to visitors from all over the world, and thus ushered in “The Bilbao Effect”. Cities wishing to be considered “world class” and attract those tourist dollars have since constructed remarkable structures to house cultural institutions, from the Getty Center in Los Angeles to the new museum of Islamic Art in Doha, Qatar. These museums put the capital “A” in architecture and I think of them as the cathedrals of our time. The impulse which built the Canterbury cathedral and sent thousands on the Way of St. James to Santiago de Compostela was of course by nature, spiritual. Within that paradigm, however, was also the desire to get out into the world and see something new, to gather together with others and to be inspired.

The California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco recently opened its doors to a wildly enthusiastic public. Located on the site of the previous academy which had been damaged in the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, the new academy designed by Renzo Piano not only houses a stunning collection of exhibits celebrating the natural world, but, in the tradition begun at Bilbao, the building is itself a star attraction. This building, however, takes the next leap by going beyond architectural theatrics. Receiving platinum certification under the LEED program (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) the academy boasts an impressive list of recycled materials and energy savings. Rather than merely discussing environmental concerns such as climate change and alternative energy, the new academy is an environmental philosophy made real in three dimensions.

One of the things that I particularly wanted to see during my visit to the academy was “The Living Roof”. Green roofs in other applications have shown to reduce the “heat island effect” of higher urban temperatures due to large expanses of black tar roofs and pavement. Green roofs reduce the interior temperatures of buildings reducing energy costs for cooling. The living roof incorporates these qualities with an original and artistic arrangement of undulating hillocks which lies over the domes of the interior rainforest and planetarium. To keep the soil and plants secured on the slopes, an ingenious solution was developed by the firm, Rana Creek. Biodegradable trays with planting mix were placed like tiles over the structure. A collection of native plants knit the whole together.

California native plants thrive in this environment despite months of drought. Floral displays of California aster Aster chilensis delight as well as provide an important nectar source for butterflies and bees.

Upright stands of purple flowering Prunella vulgaris emerge from wild strawberry Fragaria chiloensis.

Numerous plants are yet to emerge. Look for glorious displays this spring of pink flowering Sea Thrift Armeria maritima, yellow and white Tidy Tips Layia platyglossa, and orange california poppies Eschscholzia californica.

The glass roof of the central piazza can be glimpsed from above

The academy’s central piazza is a place for people to relax in an atmosphere of structual lightness and transparancy.

Views of the surrounding park are invited into the museum. The twisting copper tower of the neighboring De Young musuem is enjoyed from the piazza as a kind of monumental sculpture.

I spoke with Larry Reed and John Loomis, landscape architects with the firm SWA Group who designed and implemented the construction of the academy gardens. They described that when the living roof was first installed and before the planting trays had time to set, they came to the central piazza each morning grateful that the plantings had not collapsed into the piazza below! The Living Roof, seen from below, has proven to be a technological success as well as an artistic one.

The living roof is enjoyed by visitors from a viewing platform. This arrangement brings to mind the Karesansui, Japanese viewing gardens. The roof terrain is an abstraction of the hills of San Francisco, contemplated from a set location.

From the viewing platform one can see the band of photovoltaic cells which contributes to the energy needs of the academy.

The living roof affords new vistas into the park. Beyond the concourse is the Japanese Tea garden and the De Young Museum sculpture garden.

Flanking the academy are the east and west gardens. At first glance, I thought these gardens were lacking in much to interest the plantsperson. After being in them for a bit I found that their direct approach with rectangles of expansive grass was the perfect counterpoint to the busy interior. After visiting the busy academy’s exhibits, the gardens are a respite where childeren can run around and people relax.

A hanging sculpture by Maya Lin and carved sculptures of animals by Benny Bufano grace the grounds.

Landscape architects Larry Reed and John Loomis describe the former site of the east garden as a “cesspool of trash cans and concrete. The former academy was a collection of mis-matched buildings. The new academy has a smaller footprint, allowing the creation of the gardens. The new design is also pulled back from the site of the Shakespeare Garden.”

“The forests of Golden Gate Park were in decline” according to Reed and Loomis.
“Pine trees were dying, and rather than try to recreate a formal 19th century style garden, SWA group focused on de-selecting pine trees and planting redwoods. Understory plantings of oak and bay laurel were established to impove the park’s forest in a wholistic way”

If you plan to visit the academy, I would recommend becoming a member. It would be less expensive in the long run if you plan to visit more than once and there are times set aside for admittance to members only . The academy is worthy of support not only for the museum itself, but for the important contributions it makes to the field of science.

From the Academy’s website:

The California Academy of Sciences is a multifaceted scientific institution committed to leading-edge research, to educational outreach, and to finding new and innovative ways to engage and inspire the public.

The Academy’s mission - to explore, explain and protect the natural world - extends to all corners of the institution; from a research expedition in the highlands of Papua New Guinea, to a teacher training program in a California classroom, to an interactive game on the museum exhibit floor.

My personal thanks to landscape architects Larry Reed and John Loomis for discussing with me their work on the academy.
http://www.swagroup.com/

For more information of the California Academy of Sciences
http://www.calacademy.org/

Academy Sustainability Statement:

Sustainability is often defined as meeting current human needs without endangering our descendants. There is a broad, scientific consensus that our current environmental demands are unsustainable, causing climate change, degradation of natural habitats, loss of species, and shortages of essential resources.

The California Academy of Sciences’ mission to explore, explain and protect the natural world compels the Academy to engage in scientific research relevant to sustainability, to raise public awareness about these urgent problems, and to minimize its own environmental impact.

The Academy’s green building signifies its commitment to sustainability. The culture and internal practices mirror that commitment in the areas of energy, water, waste management, transportation, purchasing and food. Academy programs highlight the living world and its connection to the changing global environment. Academy research focuses on the origins and maintenance of life’s diversity, and its expeditions roam the world, gathering scientific data to answer the questions, “How has life evolved, and how can it be sustained?”

Honeybees and bumblebees, hummingbirds and cedar waxwings, books in the teahouse and friends on the lawn, wildflowers and poppies dancing in the sun: this was the year in my garden.

A few years ago I decided to remove a number of perennial shrubs in my San francisco garden to recreate the feeling of the meadow garden I had known as a boy. My aunt and grandmother, whom we called Joan and Grammie, lived above a cove on the wild Mendocino coast north of San Francisco. My father one morning recounted a dream he had about his sister Joan where she was growing plants on a clothesline. I can well believe that if Joan had wished to have a clothesline garden, she would have achieved spectacular results. Joan did not let drought, deer or fierce ocean winds deter her. She remarked that in a garden such as hers the law of averages applied. If some of the cuttings survived and some of the seeds sprouted and managed to live despite the odds ranged against them, then all was good. When tamping the soil over a seed or around a cutting she would say “Now live and be happy”, and I suppose this sentiment also applied to people as well, for we had many happy times.

In this section of my garden which recieves dapped light from tall tree ferns Chrysanthemum paludosum and forget me nots ( Myosotis sp.)”knit” a border with poppies and wildflowers about to emerge.
 My aunt was proof that a garden need not cost anything at all in terms of monetary outlay. All was needed was an inventive and positive approach. We collected lupine seeds up and down the coast and a treat was an expedition to our “favorite nursery”, a ghost town appropriately enough called Casper, located above the cliffs. Here plants popular in the early 20th century such as Love in a mist( Nigella sp.) and Shirley poppies (Papaver rhoeas) had naturalized with native wildflowers.

It was just these informal effects of shimmering color and loose form that I set out to create, in a small hilltop city garden, using the planting method of seeds and naturalization. By closely observing plants that have naturalized in the wild, and giving them a similar situation, the garden began to behave as a wildflower meadow. Over these last few years the wildflowers and old fashioned cultivars have self sown and created the dense and diverse tapestry we first enjoyed on those wild gardens perched above the Mendocino cliffs.

Stepping stones collected from the cove and hauled to a few gardens since create a path from the lower to the upper garden.

“The Teahouse” is too modest to live up to its name, but it takes its tradition from a “Teahouse” my twin brother Patrick and I built for my aunt. Built of driftwood hauled up from the cove, that teahouse was inaugurated by a tea ceremony where my aunt and her friends all came in costume! Joan wore her Chinese brocaded coat and jade and Patrick and I wore the vintage karate jackets, bleached for the occasion, that she used to wear while cooking. A grand time was had by all!
The current Teahouse incarnation is used every day as a place to read a book or muse in the shade. Facing Southwest, it commands a borrowed view over the city to Twin Peaks. After the above image was taken, sweet peas climbed the plum tree with a heady fragrance.

Despite the loose, naturalistic form this is still a small city garden, so foxgloves which self sow in the front of the border or Clarkia in the lawn are dug up and transplanted to where I feel they would be set off best. Recently I gathered seeds from many of the plants such as Shirley poppies to ensure a continuous bloom for future seasons.

Once the poppy seedheads have dried, vents open below the crown. I gather the dried poppies and place in a paper bag with the seedheads down. The tiny black poppy seeds exit from the vents. I then store the seeds in envelopes labeled with the name to be planted in the Spring.

I have not shown all the aspects of my garden: the area we grow berries, strawberries and herbs, the garden of symbolic cairns and rocks, the view of the city beyond.

 I appreciate every type of garden, from a terrace garden filled with poetry, gardens with rare specimens such as Pinus montezumae, an enchanted pond grotto only achieved by hard work, a celebratory victory garden, sidewalk gardens which enhance the community, gardens of art and Martians, gardens which bring joy and change the world and so many more.

And so progresses the rhythm of the seasons, where in every turn is a new activity, something new to consider and the delight of the promise to come.

Growing up on the Monterey Bay, we and most people we knew, referred to San Francisco simply as “The City”. A visit here was an exciting prospect; a time to get dressed up, to go shopping, to visit a museum or see a show. And of course, a chance to enjoy a delicious meal in one of San Francisco’s famed restaurants. My family still lives near Santa Cruz, but I have lived for the last two decades in the city, and I have loved every minute of it.

In my business I meet many people from other parts of the country, and some have made comparisons about San Francisco with other cities. Some comments include that Dubai has more innovative new architecture, that New York has a more exciting nightlife, and that Vegas has better shows. To this I have replied that San Francisco “is really just a big village.”  The city is actually a collection of small villages, each with its own character and secrets. Tucked away in the dense urban landscape are neighborhoods joined by pedestrian-only lanes and stairways. I would love to share with you a recent walk I took with a friend. Some of these places are hidden gems, and others are well-worn on the tourist trail.  All have small pocket gardens and vistas which delight at every turn.

We begin our tour on the verdant stairway neighborhood in Russian Hill known as “Havens Place”.

San Francisco was once known as the “Gateway to the East”, and a Far Eastern aesthetic was incorporated with Western traditions early on. The interest in alternative ways of thought and living allowed the emergence of Eastern disciplines into the city’s culture. The Buddhist sculpture and other references is evidence of that influence here.

Protected from the prevailing winds off the Pacific and the Bay, subtropical tree ferns, palms and various species of bamboo flourish in the sheltered micro-climate.

There are many gardens tucked in and around Havens Place. A leading San Francisco plantswoman, Tova Wiley started the annual plant sale at Strybing Arboretum in 1967.

On my last visit, we were delighted to meet the owner of this lovely garden at the top of Havens place who invited us inside.

A gazebo, dry stonework and colorful perennial plantings re-inforce the “country in the city” quality of this area.

As we retrace our steps, tantalizing glimpses of the city emerge from the dense foliage.

A short jaunt from Havens Place is another pedestrian-only neighborhood, Macondray Lane. Considered the inspiration for the fictional  “Barbary Lane” in Armistead Maupin’s Tales of The City, the wooded enclave has had many literary associations. Mark Twain is said to have strolled here while courting the poet, Ina Coolbrith, in the 1860’s.

No. 15-17 Macondray Lane was installed in 1872 after being shipped from the East coast and “around the horn” of South America to San Francisco.

This has to be one of my favorite sights along this lane. I appreciate the contrast between classic architecture represented here by this balustrade and the inexorability of nature.

Above Macondray Lane is the summit of Russian Hill. The entrance to this enchanting enclave is approached by paired ramps with Beaux Arts balustrades. Built in 1915 by Willis Polk (1867-1924), the famed architect was also comissioned by the Livermore family to construct the townhouses shown here.

This house on Florence Place on the Vallejo Crest exhibits the origins of the Bay Area regional tradition in architecture. Contrasting sharply with the Victorian and eclectic wood frame revival styles being built in the city at the time, classical forms such as the portico shown here are incorporated with a shingled downswept facade.  I think the Lutyens bench is the perfect period touch, and the newpaper on the steps indicates this structure is enjoyed as a private residence today.

While I was enjoying the view looking southeast to downtown and the Transamerica Pyramid building, I heard the flock of wild parrots which make Russian Hill home pass overhead.

Panoramic views of the city, the bay bridge, Treasure Island and the East Bay hills beyond are enjoyed from the small park on the eastern side of the summit.

Looking south from the park is the achitect’s Willis Polk’s own home and studio. Built in 1892, the shingled structure was a double residence comissioned by the painter, Mrs Virgil Williams. Polk waived his professional fee in exchange for the eastern half of the property. Years ago I visited Polk’s residence on a house tour and was suprised by the different levels which cleverly hugged the hillside. The redwood interior is flooded with light, and this aerie commands close-up views of the downtown skyline with a breathtaking immediacy.

Looking north from the pocket park, luxury pre-war apartment buildings are part of the varied mix of structures which contributes to Russian Hill’s unique urbanity.
In the late 1920’s the legendary French designer Jean Michel Frank created a luxurious modern interior in the penthouse for millionaire Templeton Crocker. Considered one of the masterpieces of 20th century interior design, the penthouse combined modern forms with luxurious materials. Squares of parchment covered the walls and ceiling, whilst modern armchairs in white leather were placed with parsons tables, some fabicated in bronze and others covered in expensive shagreen.

On Green Street known as “The Paris block” a few brightly painted Victorians are similar to the type of structures which compose the city.

The house at 1055 Green Street has a facinating history. Originally built in 1866, the house was spared the flames of the great San Francisco fire of 1906. In 1915, the architect Julia Morgan (architect: Hearst castle) transformed the house into the Italianate villa we see today. Decades later the interiors were re-worked by the late elder statesman of San Francisco design, Anthony Hail. An enfilade of light filled well-proportioned rooms separated by tall double doors housed museum quality Russian, Scandinavian and French Neoclassic antiques. The rather quiet front facade gives little hint as to the true scope of the villa, the interiors of which came to epitomize the very best of the highly sophisticated taste and style of San Francisco.
The villa’s association with the best of design continued with later occupants, being recently featured in Architectural Digest with the work of the designer, James Marzo. It is interesting to note the fabric swatches taped to the windows in the image shown here suggesting a current design project.

Next door is the ”Feusier-Octagon House”, originally built in 1857. The Second Empire mansard roof was added in the 1880’s. Once considered a model design for healthful living, the San Francisco landmark is one of a few octagon houses which populate the city.

Across the street “Engine House #31  was built in 1907 as a firehouse following the San Francisco earthquake and fire.

Leaving Russian Hill and trekking through the colorful Italian North Beach district we come to Telegraph Hill. Coit tower, placed advantageously on its summit, can be admired from various vantage points in the city as we have seen.  To San Franciscans and its many visitors, the hill and its tower are seemingly interchangeable.

Departing from the commanding heights of the tower, we make our way to another pedestrian stairway neighborhood, the Filbert steps.

Unlike the other stairways we have traversed, there is nothing “secret” or “hidden ” about these descending walkways. On a recent visit we met people from all over the world enjoying this neighborhood’s ambiance. A friend with me said it was like visiting the United Nations considering the various languages heard. It was a wonderfully “only in San Francisco” kind of experience.

This particular section of the steps has a strong Mediterranean quality. The warm, dry summers and the cool wet winters which characterize the Mediterranean climate model, along with the sheltered position of this location, allows glorious displays of Bouganvilia sp. and other frost tender species to thrive.

Leaving this section of the Filbert steps, we can view an Art Deco apartment building immortalized as the residence of Lauren Bacall and the sanctuary of Humphrey Bogart in the 1947 film noir classic, Dark Passage.  I can just imagine the period streetlight amidst swirling fog with the vintage sounds of foghorns.

At night, Coit tower is lit by floodlights.  Combined with the atmosphere of evening fog, the tower is a comforting presence.

San Francisco, along with places like Grenwich Village in Manhattan ,were in the last century havens of Bohemia;  artists, writers and thinkers who rejected the status quo found a place of great beauty and intellectual ferment here. Two world class universities were established near the city in the late 19th century: The University of California at Berkeley  and Stanford. The funding and the rivalry of these two institutions cannot be underestimated in the grounding of the Bay Area as an intellectual center. The development of computer innovations and the internet was naturally born in this free and innovative milieu.

In the 1930’s a remarkable woman named Grace Marchant lived  here at Filbert Steps and Napier Lane. Disgusted by the trash and neglect on these hillsides, Grace Marchant personally moved mountains of refuse including old bed springs and household junk, planting trees and flowering shrubs which flourish today.

Today the garden is treasured by the Telegraph Hill residents who have maintained the garden and insured its survival on a difficult, sloping site.

On the bright sunny morning when we recently visited these steps, the aroma of fresh coffee drifted from this terrace.

Here at the intersection of the Filbert Steps and Napier Lane is a good place to sit on the hand-made bench and commune in  the sheltered setting. The colorful wild parrots which we heard on Russian hill have made this their primary home and dart among the buildings and branches.

Sitting on the bench we can see the gate to the garden itself.

The gardens are completely organic, and mass plantings of drought tolerant species conserve water and prevent erosion.

It is hot now in the Marchant gardens. The fragrance of rose is heady.

Sitting in this garden at the end of our walk, I was reminded of how much I love living here. The city is not without its share of urban problems, but living here has proved to be as exciting and fun as visits were in my youth. I am still discovering things about the city I call home, where a hidden garden is around every corner.

I would love to share one of my favorite neighborhood walks.  My family has a house on Depot Hill, above the village of Capitola. This neighborhood of cottages, some from the 19th century, is perched above the Monterey Bay. Surfers lay on their boards and sea kelp drifts in the calm water below the cliffs. The bay extends in a great arc southwards to the Monterey peninsula. The Monterey mountains are a purple silhouette against the sky and at night the bay is ringed by glittering lights.

After lunch in the garden we always take a walk, first to the cliffs. There is almost no automobile traffic as there are just a few dead end roads on the hill. Perfect for strolling in the middle of the street.

Grand Avenue which runs along the cliffs has no traffic at all as parts of it have tumbled into the bay below! The cliffs are are always eroding, but for now Grand Avenue is a pedestrian walkway, with benches placed along the few blocks to enjoy the view.

This border is graced by sculptures fashioned from driftwood dragged up the cliffs from the rocky shore below.

Turning left we come across this colorful garden.

This cottage was once the minister’s house for the church next door.

        On Cliff Avenue, a trumpet vine (Campsis radicans)  creates a spectaular display.

One of my favorite houses, I have always appreciated its tidy and old-fashioned quality.

The village seen here from Cliff Avenue was a great place to watch fireworks being set off from the pier.  Depot Hill with its quiet streets, cottages with front porches, and flowering gardens with picket fences has such a nostalgic air; a kind of perpetual summerland, where every day is the Fourth of July.

Thank you for taking this stroll with me.

Happy Fourth of July! 

Located in the temperate vale of Kashmir outside Srinagar on the Dal Lake, the region was a summer retreat from the heat of the plains. It was here in 1616 that Jahangir, Persian meaning “Conqueror of the World,”  created a pleasure garden for his beloved wife, Nur Jahan. By all accounts possessing remarkable beauty, intelligence and will, Nur Jahan “light of the world.” wielded vast imperial power in her own right.  A brilliant court was established and it was during their reign that the artistic achievements of the Mughal empire came into full flower. The gardens of the Shalimar Bagh was the setting for courtly entertainments, lavish with wine favored by Jahangir, and poetry contests instituted by Nur Jahan, herself an accomplished poet. Accounts tell of moonlit soirees,  accompanied by the sound of fountains and the heady fragrance of perfume made by Nur jahan from her own formula.

The Mughal gardens were enclosed spaces much like the European Medieval counterpoint, the hortus conclusus. The Persian word paridaida meant to enclose or an enclosed garden, and the word was translated eventually into English as “paradise”. This concept was utilized in the Shalimar Bagh along with another Persian form, the chahar bagh. In this garden arrangement, a walled garden was divided into four equal parts, with the central feature being a fountain or pool. Here at Shalimar, this approach is relaxed, with elements such as pools tranformed into wide watercourses with cascades, flanked by tall chenna trees and expansive lawns with flowering plantings.

The overall plan of the Shalimar Bagh echoed palace architecture with a hierarchal division from the public sphere (the lowest part of the garden) to the middle section for the Emperor and his friends. The highest part of the garden was reserved for the Empress and ladies of the court. It was here that the Black Pavillion, crowned by its tripartite roof ,was surrounded by basins issuing numerous fountains. Lamps in niches illuminating the scene at night created a scintillating atmosphere.  The Shalimar bagh was renown for its flowers, and Jahangir’s court painter  Nadri al Asi painted exquisite depictions of kashmiri flowers such as the rose, jamine and champa.

After the collapse of the Mughal dynasty, the allure and romance of the Shalimar Bagh held the British Raj in it’s thrall. Glimpsed from houseboats on lake dal, the gardens were once again celebrated in verse:

Pale hands I loved beside the Shalimar,

Where are you now? Who lies beneath your spell?

Whom do you lead on Rapture’s roadway, far,

Before you agonise them in farewell?

Oh, pale dispensers of my Joys and Pains,

Holding the doors of Heaven and of Hell,

How the hot blood rushed wildly through the veins

Beneath your touch, until you waved farewell.

Pale hands, pink tipped, like Lotus buds that float

On those cool waters where we used to dwell,

I would have rather felt you round my throat,

Crushing out life, than waving me farewell!

Amy Woodforde-Finden, 1901

Forty-five minutes by boat from Puerto Vallarta, and seemingly outside time and space, is the place called Yelapa.
Isolated by the mountain ranges of the Mexican Southern escarpment, Yelapa can only be reached by boat. There are no roads leading into Yelapa. A rugged track can be traverssed by mule or on foot, except during the rainy season when the track is impassible. It should be noted that the rainy season lasts half the year.

Casas de Isabel on “the point” is a botanic garden of rare tropical plants from around the world.  Isabel invited us to witness the opening of a flowering tree’s blossoms which only bloomed at midnight. Located in a stunning seaside canyon setting with two waterfalls, Casas de Isabel is a sanctuary for the sacred art of the Huichol where you can see their collection on display .  The Women’s Sacred Circle retreats are held from March 24th, to April 2nd.  From the Casas Isabel website:  “Compassionate listening is almost a lost art among many, including most of our world leaders, but not here!”

The slopes of the village are covered in flowering hibiscus. Dried hibiscus is considered an edible delicacy and children string hibiscus necklaces.

The paths of the village are lined in fruiting shrubs such as kumquat, mango and clusters of potted plants. Here, without any running water, the love of growing plants and beauty is triumphant.

Pigmented walls contrast with handmade moulded clay garden steps.

The region of Yelapa is considered one of the world’s great natural ecosystems for biodiversity, second only to the Amazon. Many important food crops genetically originated here such as maize, cotton, peppers and squash.

The Garden of La Foce located in the Val d’Orcia region of Southern Tuscany is considered one of the great gardens of the 20th century. The garden is indeed beautiful, in an incomparable setting; it is the story behind the creation of the garden and the events which took place there during World War II, however, which makes this garden so compelling. The story of La foce is of the restoration of a land and the spirit of its people, and of human decency and personal heroism  in a wretched time of war.

Newlyweds Iris and Antonio Origo seached for a place where they could make a difference, when in in 1923 with the impetuosity of youth the couple purchased La Foce. Located in the wilds of the Crete Senesi, La Foce was far removed from the Tuscan countryside of ordered gardens and tidy vines of Iris’ childhood. The Villa Medici where Iris had grown up was a remarkable Renaissance villa overlooking Florence; art, beauty and the aroma of luxury pervaded. In contrast, La Foce had few roads other than a rutted cart track. There was no electricity, no telephone and most importantly very little water. The soil had seriously eroded over centuries, and the forests decimated. The farms on the estate were all in great disrepair. The people had little access to health care and education; the land was a desert, its people wary.

Working together, Antonio and the people of the estate addressed erosion and added arable land, dug wells, ditches, added livestock and improved farms with electricity and lavatories. Roads were built to connect the isolated farms with the result that children could attend the school Iris set up (in a region with 80% illiteracy) and people could visit the dispensory (ambulatario) in times of sickness.

All energies and capital had gone into improving the farms, but the gift of a water pipe to a spring six miles away by Iris’ American grandmother meant that the house had an abundant water supply for the first time. Iris called upon her friend, the architect and noted landscape designer Cecil Pinsent to create the garden plan. Iris first met Cecil when he restored the grounds of her mother’s estate in Fiesole, and Pinsent employed a similar approach at la Foce. The first garden to be created was just off the Villa. Terraces were shaded by a wisteria clad pergola, and clipped box centered a fountain with dolphin supports resting in a cartouche shaped pool.

A few years later a larger terrace was linked to the house by geometic clipped box headed by twin pillars of travertine surmounted by urns. Pinsent’s use of strong form gave the garden structure, and evoked qualities found in Tuscan Renaissance gardens.

While Pinsent gave the garden bones, Origo added flowering plants. She learned along the way what would survive in the gardens conditions. Delphiniums, phlox, and the like had to be rejected, but lavender grew in profusion and roses flourished despite the clay soil. Stone steps connected the various parts of the garden. On an upper level a wide pergola clothed in wisteria created a bower.

Large terra cotta pots on stone bases planted with lemon trees studded the landscape

The lower garden is pure Pinsent with its theatrical composition of cypress hedges, clipped box and large trees of Magnolia grandiflora

I was moved to visit La foce after reading her remarkable memoir “War in Val d’Orcia”. Written as a diary during world war II, Origo recorded a dreadful period when the war itself came to La Foce. Origo opened her home to 24 children evacuated from Genoa and Turin and provided food and refuge for 200 partisans hiding in the woods and farms on the estate.  Origo writes:

So at last the old barriers of tradition and class were broken down, and we were held together by the same difficulties, fears, expectations and hopes. Together we found shelter for the fugitives who knocked on our door-whether Italians, Allies or Jews, soldiers or civilians-together we watched the first bombs fall on the bridges of the Val d’Orcia, and listened hopefully for the rumours of landings in Tuscany which never came. And together-when the Germans had turned us out of the cellar which had become our air raid shelter and had obliged us to walk to Montepulciano with all the refugee children and our own, as well as three new born babies - we came home after the allies’ arrival to bury the corpses in the woods and farms, to reap the harvest, to remove the mines still concealed in the woods and farms and in our own front garden, and then rebuild the shattered farms.

On the road descending from the villa one can see that La Foce has preserved and protected its agrarian character.

Just after the war Iris Origo recognized that  many children were in need: the orphaned, the abandoned and the malnourished. A permanent children’s home was established in what had been the nursery for refugee children at La Foce. She created a place that was not like an institution, but a place where the children could feel they were a part of a family. Iris worked tirelessly to find adoptive parents for the children. She was not able to find places for all, and those children returned to La Foce as adults with their respective families for Easter and Christmas. La Foce was home.

For English and American travellers on the “Grand Tour” of Europe in the 19th century, Italy and most especially Florence, was the desirous destination of choice. The flower of the Renaissance, Florence offered not only intellectual pursuits in art and architecture, but also the promise of  “la dolce far niente” (carefree idleness).  Life was considerably less expensive in Florence for the English and American expatriate with inexpensive lodgings and atmospheric villas, and the Siren’s call of wine, sunny skies and an agreeable countryside proved irresistable. The “Anglo Florentines” as this group camed to be called actually constitued many nationalities and backgrounds.  But it is the poets such as the Brownings, Keats and Vernon Lee; artists such as John Singer Sargent and the wealthy Bohemians who inhabited the historic villas in the hills above Florence for whom this group is remembered.

Iris Origo writes of the Anglo Florentines in her memoir, Images and Shadows: “If they had a villa, though they scrupulously preserved the clipped box and cypress hedges of the formal Italian garden, they yet also introduced a note of home: a Dorothy Perkens rambling among the vines and the wisteria on the pergola, a herbaceous border on the lower terrace, and comfotable wicker chairs upon the lawn.”

It was into this milieu that Lady Sybil Cutting, recently widowed from her American husband, announced to her young daughter, Iris “This is where we are going to live.”  “Home” was the Villa Medici in Fiesole, the humanist masterwork of Michelozzo for Cosimo de’ Medici.

Built in the mid 15th century, The Villa Medici was a radical departure from the enclosed medieval estate villas which preceded its construction. Commanding a sloping site above Florence in Fiesole, the villa incorporated a mathematical relationship between the house and its related garden terraces. Never concieved as a working agricultural estate, the property was for the singular intellectual and aesthetic delight of its occupants.

After Lady Sybil’s purchase of the villa in 1911, the garden was restored to its original design by Cecil Pinsent and Geoffrey Scott, revealing its rigorous geometry. The young architects were in the process of creating one of the greatest of Anglo Florentine gardens on the neighboring estate of I Tatti when the young Iris first met them:  “No picnic or expedition was complete without Cecil, no luncheon or dinner party, without Geoffrey’s stories” (Images and Shadows).

The restored garden was the scene for numerous visitors and tea parties, and Iris dutifully escorted her mother’s guests, gleefully regaling the gullible with imagined Medici murders and wandering ghosts. It was to the wild slopes in an Ilex wood above the terraced gardens that Iris escaped and made her own domain: “The great stone blocks of the Etruscan wall were as good for climbing, with their easy footholds, as were the low-branched olive trees; the high grass between the rose bushes was the perfect place to lie hidden on a summer’s day, peering down, unseen, at the dwarfed figures of the grown-ups staidly conversing on the terrace far below.” (Images and Shadows).

Iris expressed that as a child the talk of garden design and art was overwhelming. She longed to escape with a book or kept busy with the picnic hamper. She shied away from Edith Wharton, and the art critic and owner of I Tatti , Bernard Berenson, with his olympian pronouncements. Years later she found she possesed information which, once consciously rejected, now informed her as to what a great garden could be.  Cecil Pinsent, now a great friend, helped her to create it: the garden of  La Foce.

Connected to San Francisco by the Golden Gate Bridge, Sausalito is protected from the marine winds of the
Pacific by the Marin headlands. Tendrils of fog never quite reach the tumbling gardens overlooking the bay.
Recently while strolling Sausalito’s many pedestrian footpaths, a resident affirmed the area  has seven different
micro-climates.  In a section of Sausalito with verdant, old gardens referred to as “The Banana Belt”,  
landscape designer Brandon Tyson has matched the Bohemian verve of the place with a garden for Linda Hothem
that combines original plant combinations, playful topiary and commissioned art.

A terraced slope secured by rock walls is planted in a  color story of orange and white. Vivid Calceolaria
“Kentish Hero” and mounds of Cuphea “Strybing Sunset” are contrasted with the fresh Iris “Frequent flyer”

In a corner of the garden, white flowering  and grey foliage plants predominate such as the fragrant Dianthus arenarius.

Pathways of mellow granite slabs are interplanted with Scotch moss Sagina subulata, 
Acorus gramineus and black mondo grass Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Nigrecens’. Inky black grape
seed mulch (used throughout the garden) sets off the striking composition.

Restrained, dark colored borders backed by clipped hedges featuring Iris ‘Superstition’ with the black foliage
of Anthriscus ‘Ravenswing’ are on one side of the central lawn. Paired Japanese maples Acer palmatum disectum
‘Crimson Queen’ underplanted with  Echeveria ‘Afterglow’ add bronze accents flanking the steps to the lower garden.

Topiary, currently enjoying a resurgence in contemporary European gardens, add delight
and whimsy. A pair of signature topiary turtles command the central lawn. Equipped with
night spotlighting, the turtles are underplanted with Acorus sp. and black grapeseed mulch.

Espaliered trees in pots screen a sunny terrace. 

Comissioned works of art by artist Marsha Donohue reinforces the gardens themes and adds enrichment.

Assured, innovative, and with a great spirit of fun, this is a garden which has much to do with the happy
collaboration of those involved and the spirit of the region.

“Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again. It seemed to me I stood by the iron gate leading to the drive,
and for a while I could not enter, for the way was barred to me. There was a padlock and chain upon the gate.
I called in my dream to the Lodge-Keeper, and had no answer, and peering through the rusted spokes of the
gate I saw that the lodge was uninhabited.” 
Exerpt: “Rebecca” by Daphne du Maurier

My brother Patrick  used to live on the street located below Tanglewood, a large uninhabited estate 
which revealed itself in tantalizing glimpses. One of the oldest homes in Sausalito, CA, Tanglewood was built in the
1870’s by a sea captain in a “Hong Kong Colonial” style. Pyramidal shaped roofs sheltered sweeping verandas which
took in heady views of the Sausalito harbor, Richardson Bay, and Belvedare island beyond. Exotic plantings collected
from the captain’s travels graced the property.

Neglected for years, In 1994  the estate was deeded to the University of Califonia Botanic Garden at Berkeley. 
 A kind of fantastic wilderness emerged with  flowering shubs popular in the 19th century assuming mad
proportions and the whole cloaked in verdure; a romantic place of moonlight and shadows. 

 Tanglewood, now leased as a private property by the botanic garden, is beginning to be restored.
I visited the garden last weekend on a tour sponsered by the Sausalito Women’s Club.

In the entrance garden shaded by large California oaks (Quercus agrifolia), alum root or coral bells Heuchera sanguinea,
and the Channel Islands native heuchera maxima, are planted with Geranium pratense “Mrs. Kendall Clark”.
California oaks do not like to be overwatered, and the selection of these perennial species, some native, enables the
garden to be relatively drought tolerant. 
All bloom in dappled shade and yet maintain that unique
atmosphere that is Tanglewood:  a wild garden of secrets and enchantment. 

Iconic designer Tony Duquette is recognized as one of the most original creative talents
of the 20th century. Discovered in the 1940’s by the legendary Elsie de Wolfe (Lady Mendl),
Duquette’s ourvre included celebrated designs for films, operas and the stage where he
worked with Vincent Minnelli and won a Tony award for costumes in the Broadway
production of “Camelot”.  A few of his interior design clients included Doris Duke, J Paul Getty,
Norton Simon and Elizabeth Arden for whom he designed an Irish Castle. His last commission
was the refurbishment of the Palazzo Brandoli in Venice for Dodi Rosenkranz.

Tony and Elizabeth Duquette built “Dawnridge” after their marriage in 1949. Set in a
Los Angeles canyon, the garden was conceived as an East Asian collection of pavillions,
pagodas and unique sculptures . Terraces lit by alabaster-like Chinese lanterns made
in resin by the designer were situated for al fresco dining. On the lower terrace, beyond
the swimming pool through nacre covered obelisks, presided Tony Duquette’s 28′ foot tall
sculpture “Pheonix Rising from Its Flames”.

In the 1950’s Tony and Elizabeth purchased 150 acres in the rugged Malibu mountains
above the Pacific and proceeded to construct an enchanted enclave of 21 houses, pavillions
and pagodas. Dubbed “The Empire” by Tony and Elizabeth, the garden property was
enjoyed by the couple and their many friends for 30 years until it tragically burnt to the
ground in the 1990’s Green Meadows Malibu fire.

Numerous pavillions graced the property.  In the photo below, Tony combined antlers given to him
by the Hearst ranch, and a cast resin onion dome salvaged from the Back lot of MGM studios. Branches
painted to resemble coral are reminiscent of the coral lavishly used at the Palazzo Brandolini.

The personal gardens created by Tony Duquette are intended to create an atmosphere
which delights. Plantings are not central here, but are well considered for the climate
and evocation of mood. It is the uniquely magical collection of garden rooms inclusive
with art which makes these some of the most original gardens conceived in our time.

Postscript: I first met Tony Duquette when the gallery I work for had a retrospective
of his work. His iconic jewelry enriched our 18th century busts, which were placed on
his biomorphic consoles. His signature lamps strung throughout the courtyard created
a scintillating  environment; an evening to remember.  Recently, Hutton Wilkenson, the
heir to Tony Duquette, Inc. allowed an unprecidented exibition of Tony Duquette’s exquisite
maquettes at our studio. Wherever Tony Duquette is around,even in spirit, magic is in the air.

On a recent trip through the California high desert,  I was struck by the rapid development of shopping centers and
housing developments, each with a strip of lawn and introduced species from more benevolent climes. The deserts
of the American Southwest have uniquely evolved over thousands of years with endemic plants adapted to the extremes
of climate and sandy, rocky soil.   A visit to Joshua Tree National Monument is instructive on what a garden in such a
landscape can be.  It is also gloriously beautiful.  Note: It is strictly prohibited to collect plant materials of any type from
the monument.  Purchase seeds and plants only from a certified nursery.

Winter rains transform the land with a succession of wildflowers (yellow cups Camissonia brevipes, and
Malacothrix glabrata, the desert daisy). Some plants remain dormant for years until just the right conditions.

The jumping cholla Opuntia bigelovii growing in “desert pavement” along with desert senna, Senna covesii. 
The desert senna, a member of the pea family, is a fine addition to the home desert garden. I would hesitate to
plant the jumping cholla, however, in places frequented by children and pets due to its nasty barbed spines.

The Mojave yucca, Yucca schidigera, had a myriad of uses for the Serrano. The fibers of the leaves were woven
into rope and sandals. The flowers, fruit and seeds were considered edible and the roots were used to make soap.
A veritable shopping center in one plant!

Desert Indian paintbrush, Castilleja angustifolia.

Desert mallow,  Sphaeralcea ambigua, is a superb choice for the home desert garden.
This will grow in disturbed areas such as roadsides and is a fine cut flower.

Calico cactus, Echinocereus engelmannii

Carolyn Presley shows her friend Ric around her property in Yucca Valley, CA .
She maintains this as a native reserve, with species seen at the nearby Joshua Tree National Monument.

Carolyn, Francis and Ric rest by Carolyn’s vintage milk truck, “The Bella Donna”.  And yes,
it runs just fine, thank you, with a restored motor. Things are not always what they may seem
at first in the desert.  Below is Carolyn’s collection of found objects. This garden epitomizes to me
living in balance with the desert, with its moods and beauty.

One the the most beautiful and evocative private gardens in the United States has to be the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller gardens in Seal Harbor, Maine. Established after a visit to Asia in 1921, The Rockefellers brought back  a treasure hoard in which to enrich their garden including a collection of imperial yellow roof tiles from the Forbidden City, Peking. These tiles grace the perimeter walls which enclose the garden.  The genius of the scheme was Beatrix Farrand, one of ten in 1899 of the American society of Landscape Designers, and its only woman member.

Concieved as a “giardino segreto”, the enclosed garden was placed away from the house with the entrance being a “moon gate” in the Chinese manner.

Originally tender bedding plants were placed out for the summer “Season”, but a visit with Rosemary Verey years later encouraged the planting scheme of perennial plants in lilac, mauve, blue, and white we see today.  One would certainly need the purse of a Rockefeller to reproduce this garden, but there are many design elements here which can be utilized by the intrepid gardener.  The enclosure and classic plan give this garden a “sense of place”,  and the strong bones would enable this garden to look good in every season.  To cut down on costs, water, and maintenence, one could replace some of these plants with hardier, more structural specimens, yet still keeping the soft colorway.  Delphinium, for example, could be replaced with Verbascum or any number of Salvia.  The lawn could be eliminated, replaced with crazy pavement, decomposed granite or pea gravel.

The atmospheric “Moon-Gate” could be incorporated as shown in this contempory garden by Jinny Blom.

What I most admire in this scheme is that the moongate is not a pastiche, but has been re-invigorated in a fresh and modern way.

The Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Garden is on Route 3 in Seal Harbor on Mount Desert Island.  A private garden, it can be visited by appointment one day a week during July and August. Telephone (207) 276-3330. Call after June 15th, on a Tuesday or Wednesday.

A truly grass roots concern, this plan could only have become a reality from dedicated individuals from every part of the community who had this vision:
http://www.thehighline.org/.  The following are just a few of the schemes proposed: