United States of America -- Massachusetts -- Nantucket County -- Nantucket
Scope and Contents:
The folder includes worksheets.
General:
Located on two acres, this woodland garden on Nantucket island was once part of "Mooney Farm." When the land was divided for residential use, the farm's top soil was removed and sold. Over fifteen years, the owners have added a few shrubs to the landscape improving the soil as needed. Container gardening was relied on for summer color. The first garden room created by the owner, was a winding path down a slope of the property. Now Grey Gardens is comprised of many rooms including a pond garden with a sandy shoreline, an evergreen garden, a decorative grass garden, terraces and decks for entertaining, woodland paths dotted with benches and small plantings, fences made by hand from tree limbs, many birdhouses, statues, stone steps, shaped privet hedges, and container gardens. There are large painted frames suspended from trees that are called follies and help focus attention on particular garden elements.
The property includes woodlands and a meadow growing native trees, shrubs, grasses and wildflowers. The plants and decorative elements that have been introduced are intended to embellish and highlight the natural settings. Many of the garden ornaments are repurposed including sculpted, tiled or painted fragments that have been installed in birdbaths or on the walls of the tool shed. A pair of salvaged doors is hung in season at the entrance to the garden with a plaque reading Secret Garden. The owner and garden designer is more interested in the textures of trees, shrubs, and hardscape than he is in flowers although the garden beds and containers introduce spots of color during the spring and summer.
Persons associated with the garden include: Ethel Mooney (former owner, 1965); and William Richard (former owner (1965-1979).
Related Materials:
Grey Gardens related holdings consist of 1 folder (18 35mm slides (photographs))
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, 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.
