United States of America -- Maine -- Hancock County -- Bar Harbor
Scope and Contents:
The folders include worksheets, photocopies of articles, and photocopies of Farrand's designs.
General:
One of the earliest Mount Desert Island dwellings, The Farm House was built in 1800 and extensively remodeled circa 1925. The garden designed by Beatrix Farrand (1872 - 1959) for the eight-acre Bar Harbor property was installed in 1923 and amended over the next five years. Farrand moved the main entrance of the shingled cottage to the opposite side of the house and added a small stone terrace. The main garden areas were now behind the house and featured two 80-foot long borders along a gravel path planted with massed drifts of summer annuals in a style developed by the English garden designer Gertrude Jekyll (1843 - 1932) for her own pastel border. That style has been described as impressionistic, with blooms of blended colors cascading over the walk, generously massed with attention paid to texture and foliage. Each of the three garden rooms - the borders, the orchard and the vegetable garden -was enclosed by hedges of arborvitae. Gates designed by Farrand divided the rooms and each area had benches she designed as well.
When The Farmhouse changed hands within the McCormick family in the 1980's the carefully designed flower borders were in decline but the structure of the garden remained. The current owners have undertaken the restoration of the long borders more in keeping with Farrand's original plans but with plant substitutions that simplify upkeep and reduce the expense. Changes include planting more perennials, especially astilbe, and replacing hollyhocks with sunflowers. The peak blooming season has been shortened to the two months the family is in residence rather than the six month flowering season envisioned by Farrand.
Persons associated with the garden include: Mildred Day McCormick (former owner, circa 1920 to circa 1980); Arthur McFarland (architect); Beatrix Farrand (1872 - 1959) (landscape architect, 1923-1928) and Ann Leighton Smith (restoration landscape architect, ca. 1982).
Related Materials:
The Farm House related holdings consist of 2 folders (15 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.
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.
