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Catalog Data

Former owner:
Robinson, Stewart, Mrs.  Search this
Devins, Harry  Search this
Devins, Harry, Mrs.  Search this
Landscape architect:
Smith, Elise Keely  Search this
Gardener:
Vaccaro, Michele  Search this
Provenance:
Garden Club of Allegheny County  Search this
Collection Creator:
Garden Club of America  Search this
Type:
Archival materials
Place:
Topiary Folly (Sewickley, Pennsylvania)
United States of America -- Pennsylvania -- Allegheny -- Sewickley
Scope and Contents:
The folder includes worksheets and a photocopy of an article.
General:
The fenced one-acre property had a sloping terraced garden on three levels with a woodlands in back and a circa 1955 house with French-influenced styling. The holly foundation hedge was diseased, an arbor vitae hedge had grown out of bounds, the perennials and flowering shrubs on the terraces had become unsightly, and the woodlands, which were populated by deer, needed clearing and shaping. The first project was the woodlands: a meandering path and brick seating area were installed and the cleared understory was replanted with azaleas, rhododendrons and oak leaf hydrangeas. Below the woodlands a 30 by 60 feet open space was a trial area for roses and hydrangeas but now is planted with a circle of clipped boxwood surrounding yellow roses and an antique iron urn, with an outer circle of clipped white azaleas surrounding topiary balls.
The three terraces are marked off by low dry stone walls and feature alternating shapes of topiary boxwood and arbor vitae in beds approximately 100 feet long, separated by gravel paths. Occasional statues and planted containers enhance the formality of the terrace garden. At the end of these rows there is a rose arbor that marks the beginning of another garden, perpendicular to the terraces, that has more topiary shapes, roses, perennials and occasionally annuals planted in rows. In front of the house the foundation beds are planted with various shaped topiary, too.
Persons associated with the garden include: Mrs. Stewart Robinson (former owner, 1955-1974); Mr. and Mrs. Harry Devins (former owners, 1974-2006); Elise Keely Smith (woodland designer, 2006); Michele Vaccaro (gardening services, 2006).
Related Materials:
Topiary Folly related holdings consist of 1 folder (13 digital images)
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 -- Sewickley  Search this
Collection Citation:
Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, The Garden Club of America collection.
Identifier:
AAG.GCA, File PA739
See more items in:
The Garden Club of America collection
The Garden Club of America collection / Series 1: United States Garden Images / Pennsylvania
Archival Repository:
Archives of American Gardens
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/kb6efcbe440-0c16-4a8b-80c7-12914d569ee8
EDAN-URL:
ead_component:sova-aag-gca-ref16577