This collection contains over 37,000 35mm slides, 3,000 glass lantern slides and garden files that may include descriptive information, photocopied articles (from journals, newspapers, or books), planting lists, correspondence, brochures, landscape plans and drawings. Garden files were compiled by Garden Club of America (GCA) members for most of the gardens included in the collection. Some gardens have been photographed over the course of several decades; others only have images from a single point in time. In addition to images of American gardens, there are glass lantern slides of the New York Flower Show (1941-1951) and trips that GCA members took to other countries, including Mexico (1937), Italy, Spain, Japan (1935), France (1936), England (1929), and Scotland.
A number of the slides are copies of historic images from outside repositories including horticultural and historical societies or from horticultural books and publications. The GCA made a concerted effort in the mid-1980s to acquire these images in order to increase its documentation of American garden history. Because of copyright considerations, use of these particular images may be restricted.
Biographical/Historical note:
The Garden Club of America was established in 1913 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, when the Garden Club of Philadelphia and eleven other garden clubs met to create a national garden club. Its purpose is to foster the knowledge and love of gardening and to restore and protect the quality of the environment through educational programs and gardening and conservation efforts. The GCA was incorporated in Delaware in 1923, with its headquarters established in New York City. Today, local clubs are organized under twelve regional zones. The GCA continues its tradition of hosting flower shows and publishing material related to gardening in the United States.
The GCA's glass lantern slides were used by The GCA for presentations and lectures about notable gardens throughout the United States dating back to colonial times. An effort was made in the late 1980s, in preparation of the 75th anniversary of the Garden Club of America's founding, to collect the disbursed slides. These slides were to eventually form the Slide Library of Notable American Parks and Gardens. The informational value of this collection is extensive since a number of images of the more than 4,500 gardens represented show garden designs that have changed over time or no longer exist. While the majority of images document a range of designed upper and upper-middle class gardens throughout the U.S., the scope of the collection is expanding as volunteers photograph and document contemporary gardens including community and vernacular gardens.
The gardens illustrate the design work of dozens of landscape architects including Marian Coffin, Beatrix Farrand, Lawrence Halprin, Hare & Hare, Umberto Innocenti, Gertrude Jekyll, Jens Jensen, Warren Manning, the Olmsted Brothers, Charles Platt, Ellen Biddle Shipman, and Fletcher Steele. Because of their proximity to the gardens, works of notable architects and sculptors may also be featured in the images.
Restrictions:
Access to original images 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.
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.
0 Photographic prints (black and white, 3 1/2 x 5 inches)
0 Photographic prints (black and white, 8 x 10 inches)
0 Contact sheets (black and white)
35mm slides (photographs) (color, 2 x 2 inches)
0 Negatives (35mm negatives, color)
0 Negatives (black & white, 4 x 5 inches)
0 Negatives (120mm negatives, black and white, 2 x 2 inches)
0 Film transparency (color, 4 x 5 inches)
0 Transparencies (120mm transparencies, color, 2 x 2 inches)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Photographic prints
Contact sheets
Negatives
Film transparency
Transparencies
Film transparencies
Color negatives
Black-and-white photographs
Photographs
Color photographs
Slides (photographs)
Black-and-white negatives
Date:
circa 1960-1994
Summary:
The Maida Babson Adams American Garden Collection documents the work of Molly Adams, a free-lance garden photographer who photographed hundreds of private and public gardens, many of them in the mid-Atlantic region, from the late 1950s through the mid-1990s. It includes slides, photographic prints, negatives and transparencies. A significant number of images document the work of landscape designers Nelva M. Weber, Alice Recknagel Ireys, and Friede Stege. Roughly 50 gardens do not have an identified location. Some images have captions and other information written on them.
Scope and Contents:
The Maida Babson Adams American Gardens Collection includes a total of 7,606 images documenting close to 400 gardens photographed by Molly Adams from the 1950s to the 1990s. Although most images document gardens in New Jersey, the collection also includes gardens in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York and Pennsylvania. While the vast majority of gardens in the collection are private, there are also some public gardens and venues like the Frelinghuysen Arboretum in New Jersey, the International Flower Show in New York City, and the White House in Washington, D.C. A number of gardens were photographed during organized garden or horticultural tours or annual meetings of the Garden Club of America.
A significant number of images document the work of landscape designers Alice Ireys, Nelva Weber, and Friede Stege. Approximately 85 gardens in the collection are unidentified as to their location and/or client.
Relatively few images are captioned or dated; Adams often labeled a film envelope or back of a photograph or contact sheet with just a client surname and the designer (if it was Ireys, Weber, or Stege). In some cases, additional information about a garden's location or owner's full name was gleaned from the finding aids for the Alice Recknagel Ireys Papers or the Nelva Weber Papers. Some images were accompanied by clippings from newspapers or magazines that featured one or more related images by Adams; most of these clippings date from the 1950s and 1960s. There is also a file of general clippings of Adams' work; many of these do not identify the garden that is shown.
Most of the images are black and white, though there are a number taken in color. Adams' contact sheets and photo envelopes were sometimes marked with cropping marks or photo developing notes respectively.
Biographical / Historical:
Molly (Maida Babson) Adams (1918 - 2003) had a 40+ year career as a nationally recognized free-lance garden and wildlife photographer and conservationist. Her images were published under the name "Molly Adams." Adams was born in Orange, New Jersey and lived over fifty years in Mendham Township, New Jersey. As a teenager she became interested in photography; she later attended the New York Institute of Photography and became a member of the New York Camera Club.
Her photographs were featured in numerous newspapers and magazines including the "New York Times," "New York Herald Tribune," "House Beautiful," "Horticulture," "Home Garden," and "Audubon." During the Kennedy administration, she photographed the White House Rose Garden; these photographs were later published in "Flower Grower."
Adams provided hundreds of photographs for "How to Plan and Plant Your Own Property" (1967) by landscape architect Alice Recknagel Ireys and "How to Plan Your Own Home Landscape" (1976) by landscape designer Nelva M. Weber. Her images were also published in books including "The Reader's Digest Practical Guide to Home Landscaping," and "The Complete Illustrated Book of Garden Magic." Adams also occasionally wrote garden-themed articles. A longtime member in the Somerset Hills (NJ) Garden Club, which is part of the Garden Club of America, Adams once served as the latter's official photographer.
In the 1960's Adams' photographs drew attention to conservation issues related to the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in northwestern New Jersey. These widely publicized photographs rallied public support against the proposed destruction of the Great Swamp for the construction of an airport. Adams was also active as a member of the Mendham Township Environmental Commission and the North Jersey Conservation Foundation. In the 1980's she was awarded the Buckley Medal of Merit for Horticultural Achievement by the Garden Club of America for her photographs used in the postcard campaign "Save Our Vanishing Wild Flowers."
Related Archival Materials Note:
The Alice Recknagel Ireys Papers in the Sophia Smith Collection at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, include photographs by Molly Adams.
The Nelva Weber Papers in the Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections at Cornell University Library in Ithaca, New York, likely include photographs by Molly Adams.
Separated Materials:
The North Jersey History & Genealogy Center at The Morristown & Morris Township Library in New Jersey has a collection of images by Molly Adams showcasing nature scenes and birds.
Provenance:
Adams' family donated her collection of garden images to the Smithsonian's Archives of American Gardens after her death in 2003.
Restrictions:
Access to original images 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.
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.
The Corliss Knapp Engle slide collection contains 35mm slides of gardens, garden features, flower shows, and flora photographed by Corliss Engle, a self-taught photographer and horticulturalist. Much of the collection is comprised of photographic documentation of numerous private and public gardens that she visited throughout the United States. Of particular note are images of Engle's own garden in Brookline, Massachusetts, spanning three decades; they provide excellent insight into the development and evolution of a garden over time. Portions of the collection highlight Engle's involvement with the Garden Club of America and the GCA's Garden History and Design Committee. The collection also includes various notes, lecture scripts, brochures, programs and articles on garden and plant-related themes generated or compiled by Corliss Knapp Engle.
Biographical / Historical:
Corliss Knapp Engle (1936-2009), born in Flushing, New York, was a passionate horticulturalist who was closely involved with numerous groups and initiatives relating to horticulture and gardens. As a resident of Brookline, Massachusetts, she was actively involved in the Chestnut Hill Garden Club and the Tree Planting Committee of the Town of Brookline. Corliss Engle was also involved, in varying capacities, in the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, and the Garden Club of America (GCA). She was a trustee for both the Massachusetts Horticultural Society and the New England Wild Flower Society. Engle was a recipient of a GCA Achievement Award and four GCA Beattie Medals. The Begonia Society honored her by naming a begonia in her name. As a self-taught photographer she was instrumental in developing a photography program for the Garden Club of America and was particularly involved with the GCA's Garden History and Design Committee which is instrumental in the documentation of gardens for the Garden Club of America Collection at the Archives of American Gardens. Engle's writings and photographs were published in local and national publications including the Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts' publication, "Mayflower," and the "White House History" journal.
General:
Collection has been processed.
Related Materials:
Slide images of various plants photographed by Corliss Engle are located at The Massachusetts Horticultural Society.
Images of the Arnold Arboretum photographed by Corliss Engle including those featured in a 2006 exhibition, The Arnold Arboretum Captured in Time: 1982-1987, are located at the Horticulture LIbrary at the Arnold Arboretum in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts.
Separated Materials:
Slide images of various Garden Club of America meetings and events photographed by Corliss Engle are located at the Garden Club of America in New York, New York.
Provenance:
A representative of the Chestnut Hill (Mass.) Garden Club donated the collection on the club's behalf to the Archives of American Gardens in May 2013.
Restrictions:
Access to original images 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.
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.
1 Photograph (lantern slide, hand-colored, 3.25 x 4 in.)
Type:
Archival materials
Photographs
Lantern slides
Place:
Frelinghuysen Garden (Palm Beach, Florida)
United States of America -- Florida -- Palm Beach County -- Palm Beach
Date:
[between 1914 and 1949?]
General:
The garden was duplicated in the 1934 Palm Beach Flower Show. The glass slide is cracked.
Historic plate number: "46."
Collection Restrictions:
Access to original images 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.
United States of America -- Connecticut -- Fairfield County -- Stamford
Scope and Contents:
The folder includes worksheets, a written description of the garden, site plans, garden areas plans, a features plan, a plant list, additional photos detailing features in the garden, and other information.
General:
Located in Stamford, Connecticut, this four-acre property consists of land that has been in the Bartlett family since it was purchased along with a large tract of land by Dr. Francis Bartlett in the 1920's. Planted on one side of the house is a Bartlett chestnut tree, named as such by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 1934 for Dr. Bartlett's efforts in creating a disease resistant chestnut tree. Some of the land once owned by the family now comprises the Bartlett Arboretum and Gardens.
The current owners purchased the property in 1983 and began to clear the heavily wooded property in 1987. A terrace made of stone from around the property was installed next to the house, and by 1992 a large lawn area was established in the back of the property. The Liberty tree on the southeast side was planted in 1991 from seeds the owner collected during a visit to the 100th anniversary celebration of the Statue of Liberty. The seeds were propagated at the Bartlett Tree Laboratories in Charlotte, North Carolina and distributed to all fifty states. Forty trees were given to the city of Paris in recognition of their gift of the statue to the United States.
During this time a dwarf conifer and heather collection were planted to the southwest of the main garden, and in 1995 the one-hundred-foot perennial borders were created. Tom Erikson of Pine Meadows Gardens in Southbury, Connecticut was hired to give the garden design a sense of structure. The two pergolas were built, and the garden house installed. The garden house was originally a Bartlett Tree Company display at the 1996 New England Flower Show, for which the company received a gold medal. It was dismantled and rebuilt in the garden. Large bricks columns, a brick terrace, and a wooden pergola were constructed in front of it. The perennial border is mirrored by a rose garden backed by a yew hedge, and the second pergola separates the upper and lower gardens. Two sixteenth-century millstones, originating in Spanish Florida, were sunk into the walkways covered by the pergolas.
In 2000 the owners began extensive renovations to the house. They enlisted the services of James Doyle of James Doyle Associates in Greenwich and Diane Bilgore of DAB Designs, Inc. in Ridgefield. Together they added the "Lilac Walk" to the garden, inspired by the owners' many visits to Hidcote Manor in England. Also on the property are a gazebo, a shade garden, a fountain, and a sundial garden. The entire property is enclosed by a woodland area, and a stream and stone wall on the southeastern edge.
Persons associated with the garden include Mr. and Mrs. Robert A. Bartlett, (former owners, 1959-1982); Tom Ericson, (garden designer, 1996-2001); James Doyle, (garden designer, 2004-present); Diane Bilgore (garden designer, 2005-present)
Related Materials:
Bartlett Garden related holdings consist of 1 folder (18 35 mm. slides and 7 reference digital images)
Collection Restrictions:
Access to original images 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.
United States of America -- Alabama -- Jefferson County -- Birmingham
Date:
1982
General:
White azaleas and walkway. Southern Living Magazine, 5-1983. "The garden was designed in 1938. It was a sunny setting then and planted with annuals and flowering shrubs. Today, the garden is in the shadow of mature oaks with shade-loving platns and a small lawn nestled betweenthe canopy. Near easter, Delaware Valley White and Pink Pearl azaleas begin a pink and white flower show of flowers that lasts through the spring. Southern Living, May 1983."
Collection Restrictions:
Access to original images 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.
United States of America -- Alabama -- Jefferson County -- Birmingham
Date:
1982
General:
Autumn view of stairway. Southern Living Magazine, 5-1983. "The garden was designed in 1938. It was a sunny setting then and planted with annuals and flowering shrubs. Today, the garden is in the shadow of mature oaks with shade-loving platns and a small lawn nestled betweenthe canopy. Near easter, Delaware Valley White and Pink Pearl azaleas begin a pink and white flower show of flowers that lasts through the spring. Southern Living, May 1983."
Collection Restrictions:
Access to original images 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.
Gloves must be worn when handling unprotected photographs and negatives. Special arrangements required to view materials in cold storage and audio visual materials. Using cold room materials requires a three hour waiting period, reference copies do not exist for audio visual materials. Arrangements must be made with the Archives Center staff two weeks prior to a scheduled research visit. Contact the Archives Center at 202-633-3270.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning intellectual property rights. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Collection Citation:
United Shoe Machinery Corporation Records, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Collection Citation:
Leonard and Mary Gaskin Papers, 1923-2006, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Collection Citation:
Leonard and Mary Gaskin Papers, 1923-2006, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
1 Photographic print ((mounted on cardboard), black and white, mount 8.5 x 10.5 in.)
Type:
Archival materials
Photographic prints
Place:
United States of America -- New York -- New York
New York (State) -- New York City
Date:
03/11/1948
General note:
Exhibitor - Marshall Field
Collection Restrictions:
Access to original images 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:
For information or study purposes only. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens.
1 Photographic print ((mounted on cardboard), black and white, mount 8.5 x 10.5 in.)
Type:
Archival materials
Photographic prints
Place:
New York (State) -- New York City
United States of America -- New York -- New York
Date:
03/11/1948
General note:
Exhibitor - Marshall Field
Collection Restrictions:
Access to original images 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:
For information or study purposes only. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens.
1 Photographic print ((mounted on cardboard), black and white, mount 8.5 x 10.5 in.)
Type:
Archival materials
Photographic prints
Place:
United States of America -- New York -- New York
New York (State) -- New York City
Date:
04/10/1913
General note:
Moonlight garden - Exhibitor - Effingham Pinto.
Collection Restrictions:
Access to original images 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:
For information or study purposes only. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens.
1 Photographic print ((mounted on cardboard), black and white, mount 8.5 x 10.5 in.)
Type:
Archival materials
Photographic prints
Place:
United States of America -- New York -- New York
New York (State) -- New York City
Date:
04/10/1913
General note:
Julius Roeber Co. and Lou's display.
Collection Restrictions:
Access to original images 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:
For information or study purposes only. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens.
1 Photographic print ((mounted on cardboard), black and white, mount 8.5 x 10.5 in.)
Type:
Archival materials
Photographic prints
Place:
New York (State) -- New York City
United States of America -- New York -- New York
Date:
03/11/1948
Collection Restrictions:
Access to original images 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:
For information or study purposes only. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens.
1 Photographic print ((mounted on cardboard), black and white, mount 8.5 x 10.5 in.)
Type:
Archival materials
Photographic prints
Place:
New York (State) -- New York City
United States of America -- New York -- New York
Date:
03/11/1948
General note:
Matthiola, carnations and tulips.
Collection Restrictions:
Access to original images 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:
For information or study purposes only. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens.
1 Photographic print ((mounted on cardboard), black and white, mount 8.5 x 10.5 in.)
Type:
Archival materials
Photographic prints
Place:
United States of America -- New York -- New York
New York (State) -- New York City
Date:
03/11/1948
General note:
Acacia garden.
Collection Restrictions:
Access to original images 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:
For information or study purposes only. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens.
1 Photographic print ((mounted on cardboard), black and white, mount 8.5 x 10.5 in.)
Type:
Archival materials
Photographic prints
Place:
United States of America -- New York -- New York
New York (State) -- New York City
Date:
03/11/1948
Collection Restrictions:
Access to original images 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:
For information or study purposes only. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens.
1 Photographic print ((mounted on cardboard), black and white, mount 8.5 x 10.5 in.)
Type:
Archival materials
Photographic prints
Place:
United States of America -- New York -- New York
New York (State) -- New York City
Date:
03/10/1948
General note:
Turner Bros. Nursery, West Long Branch, N. J.
Collection Restrictions:
Access to original images 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:
For information or study purposes only. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens.
