United States of America -- Texas -- Houston -- Houston
Orchid Garden (Houston, Texas)
Scope and Contents:
1 folder and 12 digital images. Images 001-012 copyrighted by Fran Brennan.
General:
An urban patio garden with approximately 1,400 orchids, ponds, furnishings and decorative items, and 30 more mostly tropical plants is a conservatory. Previously the owner was a tenant in one of five modern one-story apartments that were arranged in a horizontal row, each with its own brick walled patio. He bought the building and eventually converted all the apartments into his home while the five patios were reconfigured into one 97-foot-long by 12-foot-wide garden room. An outer walkway that used to lead to each patio entrance now is a plant nursery backed by a tall wooden fence with acrylic greenhouse roofing covering the whole structure. Fans, vents and heaters are used to control the temperature. The brick walls between the old patios were partially disassembled into steps that hold plants, suggesting ruins. Leftover bricks were re-used as table supports and as paving material. The orchid collection was started in 1967 with one plant that didn't survive. Now potted orchids hang from the metal beams that support the roof, some in baskets fashioned from wire mesh that also forms shelves on the boards used as tabletops. More pots of orchids are attached to the standing brick walls, all in staggered patterns to improve air circulation. Complementary tropical plants are in pots or planted in beds. The garden room furniture and features mostly came from Mexico, Guatemala, and Spain, in rustic or hand-crafted styles.
Persons associated with the garden include: Joseph A. Ralmutto (former owner, 1960-1964); Bill Bartlett (owner, planner, designer, 1964- ).
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.
