United States of America -- Pennsylvania -- Chester County -- Downingtown
Scope and Contents:
The folder includes a worksheet, site plans, a detailed narrative description of the garden, a plant list, and clippings and photocopies of articles about the garden and its designer.
General:
Established in 1991, this one and an eighth-acre garden reflects the ambience of the 1790 William Penn yeoman's house located on the site. Autonomous gardens weave together through unique plant combinations that form a yearlong drama of varying color, intensity, and emotion. Plants can be found everywhere on the site, from flowers in the gravel of the drive to bulbs in the footpaths. A hillside features hellebores in a fantasy woodland, while a ruin/trough garden is located on the former site of an above-ground pool. Foliage provides the backbone to the garden's overall design, while containers are changed each season to create striking new combinations. Although there is a traditional four-square fenced garden plot surrounded by perennials, the overall effect is not focused on strict historic restoration. Loose drifts of plant material always have something else in them, and many plants are placed to give a self-seeded appearance. Color and form based on texture are repeated and shapes are placed carefully, being repeated to achieve unity. Plant material is appropriate for limited water resources, while fertilizer and pesticide use is curtailed in order to encourage birds and butterflies. Although there are many rare individual species and varieties in this garden the overall effect is one of harmonious, ebullient, and naturalistic design.
Persons associated with the property include: the Guie family (former owners, 19th century).
Related Materials:
Culp Garden related holdings consist of 1 folder (12 35 mm. slides)
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.
Topic:
Gardens -- Pennsylvania -- Downingtown Search this
Collection Citation:
Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.
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.
