United States of America -- Virginia -- Orange and Albemarle -- Gordonsville
Scope and Contents:
The folder includes worksheets, a book of images and Springfields' Memoirs by Gail Babnew.
General:
The 95-acre farm with an 1895 Greek Revival house features an 18th century octagonal stone tower and smokehouse built by the first owner, a gambrel barn built in the 1840's, and many archaeological artifacts unearthed by the current owners. The original colonial farmhouse burned down in a fire started by a Christmas tree in 1893. Formal and informal gardens have been created over the last 15 years that complement the style of the house, enhance the historic outbuildings, and repurpose 19th century terraced gardens with formal boxwood parterres. Stately trees planted more than two hundred years ago punctuate lawns while approximately 1000 new trees have been planted in the nearly 40 new gardens. More than 300 David Austen roses, 400 hydrangeas and about 700 English and American boxwoods have been planted throughout the property to unify these smaller pocket gardens. A boxwood allée bordering the brick walkway that bisects the parterres leads to a rose-covered pergola that opens onto the swimming pool and its plantings of roses, boxwoods, and containers of Meyer lemon trees and gardenias. Nearby there is a rose and cutting garden with lavenders, peonies, asters, Echinacea, Virginia bluebells, and more David Austen roses.
Beside the smokehouse there is a tea garden with lilacs, tea plants, trees and more roses. There are two vegetable gardens inside picket fences, strawberries and blueberries by the chicken house and raspberries at the riding arena near the horse stable. Hundreds of daffodils have been planted along the stone wall and 18th century quarry near the entrance to the farm. Clusters of hydrangeas were planted along the driveway and in the porch gardens. Garden ornaments include an English armillary sphere in the rose-filled circle garden at the end of the driveway, a French sundial in one of the pool gardens and stone urns placed throughout the gardens. There is another rose garden outside the guest house, and climbing hydrangeas and roses outside the garage and on the nearby pergola.
Persons associated with the garden include Colonel Reuben Lindsay (former owner, 1786-1831); Lindsay and Gordon families (former owners, 1831-1861); Bolling Walker Haxall (former owner, 1861-1885); Samuel B. and Sara McElroy and family (former owners, 1886-1923); Wayne and Nanette Derkac (former owners, 1991-2001).
Related Materials:
Springfields related holdings consist of 1 folders (33 digital images)
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.
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.
Collection Citation:
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.
