United States of America -- California -- San Mateo County -- Hillsborough
Susan Locklin Grau Garden (Hillsborough, California)
Scope and Contents:
36 digital images (2016) and 1 file folder.
General:
The nearly one-acre property had walls and paths built of cobblestones and bricks salvaged from San Francisco after the 1906 earthquake and fire, a main house and guest cottage built in the 1950's, and mature shrubs and trees. This property originally was part of a larger family estate and is on a hillside overlooking San Mateo creek. After sitting empty for about six years the property was purchased in 2012, and the trees and shrubs were pruned. Those included California live oak, deciduous magnolia, ash, plum, persimmon, camellias, rhododendron and azaleas. Next beds along the concentric gravel paths were planted with different trees, shrubs and perennials. There are banks of roses and climbing roses on a series of arches that form a tunnel. The paths wind down the hillside to a lower garden room known as Wonderland where hydrangeas surround a bench and birdbath. Bergenia is used as an edging along the deck and as understory in other garden rooms. Tree and vining wisteria, Japanese maples, spring bulbs, foxgloves, boxwood, ferns, ligularia, weeping birches, and pittosporum are some of the plant selections that have been woven together to form a shimmering garden.
Persons associated with the garden include: the Howe family (former owners, early 1900's-1951); Virginia Howe (former owner, 1951-2007); William C. McGowan, Jr. (garden designer and horticulturist, 2013- ); Robert Weatherill (arborist, 2013- ); Mike Warren (construction and lighting, 2013- ); Ruben Cardenas and Ruben Cardenas, Jr. (gardeners, 2013- ); Carmen Gonzalez (gardener, 2013- ).
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.