United States of America -- South Carolina -- Aiken County -- Aiken
The Balcony (Aiken, South Carolina)
Scope and Contents:
17 digital images and 1 digital file which includes a planting list and copy of Shipman's planting plan.
General:
The original 1930's garden design by landscape architect Ellen Biddle Shipman (1869-1950) still can be discerned in the mature trees and sculpted hedges of the 5.82-acre estate. The property was intended as a winter sporting retreat for the original owner so, given the economic uncertainty of the time, an ornate display of summer blooming plants was deemed unnecessary. The brick Georgian revival house built in 1930 and the landscaped grounds reflected the Country Place era – an emulation of an English country estate that would have existed for generations. The entire property is enclosed by a stucco high wall with an iron front gate and a wooden door inserted in wall in the 1950's for access to a private supper club on the adjacent property.
The level property has expansive lawns punctuated or bordered with camellias, hollies, tea olives, native magnolias and loblolly pine. Shipman defined and enclosed spaces but in a more naturalistic way on this property. Osmanthus fragrans x fortune (tea olive) border the lawn along the drive. A shaped boxwood hedge defines the walkway to the front door. Some of the varieties that were popular when the estate was planted are no longer available commercially, and a Carolina cherry laurel allée was replaced with azaleas as the original plant is invasive. Azalea drifts that flower in early spring replace the original design of viola, vinca, and spring bulbs. Crepe myrtles, nandina and magnolia grown at the entrance to the property. Behind the house there is a simple rectangular pool, a later addition but in Shipman's style. There are a dressage ring, stables, and grooms' cottages along with three paddocks on this polo player's property.
Persons associated with garden's design include: Julian Peabody (architect, 1929-1931) and Ellen Shipman (landscape architect (1930-1931).
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.
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 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.
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.
Includes a small amount of transactional type business records and correspondence. The trade literature has printed material on agriculture in France and information on sugar beets, peppermint crops, and general gardening. The news clippings cover a variety of growing, farm, and agriculture related labor topics. Ads and marketing material pertain to tools,equipment, milling, source nurseries, and pest control solutions.
Series Restrictions:
Collection is open for research. Some items may be restricted due to fragile condition.
Series Rights:
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.
Series Citation:
Warshaw Collection of Business Americana Subject Categories: Agriculture, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution
Sponsor:
Funding for partial processing of the collection was supported by a grant from the Smithsonian Institution's Collections Care and Preservation Fund (CCPF).