The Samuel and Beverly Ryburn Wildflower Garden (Dover, Massachusetts).
United States of America -- Massachusetts -- Norfolk County -- Dover
Scope and Contents:
The folder includes a worksheet and a copy of an article.
General:
A nearly 40-foot wide, 10 to 18 foot high rock ledge on an abandoned 12-acre farm was developed into a wildflower garden during the 1980s after the owners discovered how to make use of this natural feature, aided by their study of Japanese garden design. An initial attempt to smooth over the rock's contours with hundreds of wheelbarrows of soil dug and brought uphill from their woods was unattractive, and the soil was removed. By basing their design on a Japanese rock garden format they used the natural depressions in the rock for pocket gardens. Four larger depressions were deepened and concreted to make pools that were connected to a submerged recycling water pump. Dwarf varieties of cypress, spruce, weeping larch, Japanese cut leaf maple, and rhododendron were planted in other pockets deep enough for small trees and shrubs. Creeping juniper, partridgeberry, pipsissewa, wintergreen, and native small shrubs grew to form mats and screens. Native wildflowers took root wherever there was soil or cracks in the rock. Twenty species and varieties of ferns adapted to shady spots. The rock garden was a feature of the larger, more conventional gardens and terraces on the property. The Japanese design theme was repeated in an arched wooden bridge, wood-slab benches, a stone lantern, and a bronze Japanese crane. Other hardscape elements were retrieved from the woods and repurposed: flat stones from an old wall were used as stepping stones and lichen-covered boulders were placed to counterbalance the heft of the wildflower rock garden.
Related Materials:
The Samuel and Beverly Ryburn Wildflower Garden related holdings consist of 2 folders (15 film transparencies; 2 35mm slides (photographs))
See others in:
Ken Druse garden photography collection, 1978-2005.
Collection Restrictions:
Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Collection Rights:
Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, [Collection title]
Sponsor:
A project to describe images in this finding aid received Federal support from the Smithsonian Collections Care Initiative, administered by the National Collections Program.
