United States -- New Jersey -- Bergen County -- River Edge
Scope and Contents:
49 digital images (2021) and 8 4X6 in. photographic prints.
General:
In the first decade of the 20th century the house was built on a hill with a view of the Hudson River and the Palisades in New Jersey, on approximately one acre and surrounded by woods. There were 100 Carrera marble steps leading to the front door as part of the Italianate design of the terraced gardens and grounds. When the current owners bought the property in 1962 the Italianate layout remained but the living garden was defunct. The entrance had been changed to the back of the house facing the terraced garden and the Carrera marble slabs affixed to brick risers. At the street side there is an entrance gate with a brick driveway and courtyard garden with hydrangeas, cryptomeria, rhododendron, azalea, magnolia, antique roses and perennials. There is a bronze fountain along on side as well as many birdhouses, urns and stone benches.
The formal symmetrical garden behind the house was laid out on a straight downhill axis. Newer plants include crape myrtle and azaleas with a reproduction of Verrocchio's 15th century cupid with a dolphin fountain. Sets of stairs with planted urns lead to the swimming pool bordered by columns and two pergolas set on columns. Water from a wall fountain above the pool flows under a bisecting bridge. The columns are planted with vines: climbing roses, wisteria and honeysuckle. Thuja planted here and elsewhere on the property echo the verticality of the columns.
The owners added a water feature along one side comprised of three koi ponds with seven connecting waterfalls that spill over flagstones. Mature pine, golden larch, cherry, dogwood, Japanese snowbell, hydrangea, creeping roses and wild strawberry surround the ponds. There are stone benches, stone statues and bronze statues. Next to the carriage house at the end of the original driveway there is a small building that was used as a potting shed. The owners had a tradition of planting a tree each year to honor a family member or friend. Some of the decorative features came from the auction of a theater in New York. The property has participated in Garden Conservancy open days.
Related Materials:
The Bergen County and/or River Edge records in New Jersey.
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.
